Biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods for detecting user intentions and manipulating virtual avatar control based on user intentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space

ABSTRACT

Biometric enabled virtual reality (VR) systems and methods are disclosed for detecting user intention(s) and manipulating virtual avatar control based on the user intention(s) for providing kinematic awareness in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D) space, or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. A virtual representation of an intended motion of a user corresponding to an intention of muscle activation of the user is determined based on analysis of a biometric signal data of the user as collected by a biometric detection device. The virtual representation of the intended motion is used to modulate virtual avatar control or output of a virtual avatar (representing one or more aspects of at least one of the user) or an object (as manipulated by the user) is manipulated in the holographic space, the virtual 2D, or the 3D space. The virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interface configured to provide the kinematic awareness to the user in the holographic space, the 2D virtual space, or the 3D virtual space.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to biometric enabled virtualreality (VR) systems and methods, and more particularly to biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods for detecting one or moreuser intentions and manipulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for providing kinematic awareness inholographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtualspace. The present disclosure further relates to detecting one or moreuser intentions, and modulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions, for creation of one or more virtual avatars inholographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space. The disclosure describes devicesconfigured for, and methods adapted for, collecting biometric signalinformation from a user and providing a dynamic interpretation ofbiometric signals through a virtual avatar, as well as generating avirtual representation of kinesthetic awareness and/or a desiredappearance of a user in either holographic space or via VR in 2D or 3Dvirtual space.

BACKGROUND

The utilization of computers to generate virtual avatars and lifelikeimages are becoming more prevalent. Devices configured for VirtualReality (VR) applications are becoming increasingly available and areincreasing used on a widespread basis. Many of these technologies arebeginning to take advantage of projectors, Augmented Reality (AR), andholograms to immerse patrons in these new computer-generated experiences(e.g., a MICROSOFT MESH enabled device, FARYUAN FAN holographic LEDprojector, etc.). In addition, VR functionality is continuouslyevolving—resulting in increased setup time and/or proprietary virtualrepresentations. The various, and often different, VR devices typicallyrequire reference points, cameras, or other visual technologies used tocapture image(s) of a user along with any motions the user is makingand/or attempting to make. For example, current techniques fordisplaying a virtual representation of a user in virtual space, such asthrough a video conference meeting (e.g., ZOOM, GOOGLE HANGOUTS, etc.),have been developed around camera and Lidar technology, which areconfigured to record image(s) of a user and to replay the capturedimage(s) to other members within the virtual space. Such technologiescan demonstrate current physical state, including motions, positions,temporal changes in the recorded images, and can replay such images backin virtual space. However, without the use of video (e.g., camera,lidar, etc.) capture, a user of these typical technologies cannotaugment his or her personal image or control his or her virtual avatarin virtual space. In addition, current VR technology remains unable, orinsufficiently capable, of advanced user analysis, including, forexample, determining complex motions, categorizing users based onpreferred perceptions, and accurately portraying a motion of a user whena user lacks the physical capacity to perform the motion.

Furthermore, in the event that a user has either an amputated extremity,a bilateral amputation, a physical deformity, or a pathophysiologyrelating to the neurological or muscular control of extremities,traditional technologies do not have the capacity to provide a user withadequate control, thereby preventing the user from attaining optimalbiometric control or proper kinematic awareness. This is especially soin cases wherein a patient has removed or diminished control of anextremity, e.g., via an amputation. In such scenarios, existingtechniques for creating a visual reference for the purpose of treatingailments, such as “phantom limb pain” (PLP), have been ineffective. Forexample, traditional methods of treating PLP involve using a referencetechnology, such as a mirror or camera, to monitor both an injured andan uninjured extremity. In such traditional treatments, a user isinstructed to move an uninjured extremity while simultaneouslyattempting to activate the muscles of an injured, typically amputated,extremity. The existing technology then recreates the image of how theinjured extremity would have appeared to the user, superimposing theimage over the amputated extremity as if the amputated extremity had notbeen amputated. This technique of recreating a visual image of anextremity that otherwise doesn't exist has demonstrated increasinglysupported neurological value in reducing the amount of “phantom pain”that a user perceives for an amputated body part. However, the abovetechnique does not apply for a user that (a) has bilateral amputation(s)and that does not have a second, uninjured limb that can be used as avisual reference, or (b) a user who is attempting to activate muscles)to make a specific movement, but does not have the physical capacity tomake such movement (e.g., muscles are too weak). Still further, suchtraditional techniques do not measure or track the amplitude of effortfor which a user is intending to make a movement. And further still,these traditional techniques do not accurately represent a user'sintention to perform a complex movement, in which one or more musclesare activated to perform a motion involving potentially multiple joints.

Still further, existing technologies that rely on superimposing imageson user extremities have continued to rely on cameras and accelerometersto detect the physical location and direction of movement of a user.Because of this, the ability for a user to accurately control his or herown perception-of-self is limited based on the cameras and/oraccelerometers inherent limitations (e.g., limited frames, angles,and/or configurations), and, therefore, the user's experience can begreatly diminished.

For the foregoing reasons there is a need for biometric enabled virtualreality systems and methods for detecting one or more user intentionsand manipulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic, 2D, or 3Dvirtual space. In particular, the systems and methods disclosed hereinimprove upon the prior art through a novel system that can quantify theintention of a user to activate a group of muscles, regardless ofwhether or not the intended motion (e.g., of a non-existent user limb)actually occurs.

In addition, for the foregoing reasons there is a need for biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods for detecting one or moreuser intentions and modulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars inholographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space.

SUMMARY

Virtual reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and holographicprojections are becoming increasingly relevant in social and medicalsettings. As described herein, VR refers to at least one of VirtualReality, Augmented Reality, and Holographic Projections. Furthermore,references to virtual space may include but are not limited to2-Dimensional virtual images, 3-Dimensional virtual images, orholographic images produced through VR, LED Fans (e.g., Faryuan HologramFan), or holographic projectors. The importance of having aneasy-to-control and accurate VR systems and methods becomes increasinglyimportant to users as VR technologies become more widespread. Thepresent disclosure describes biometric enabled VR systems and methodsthat provide enhanced VR capabilities and configurations that providefor virtual representation accuracy and rapid setup and configurationbased on user-specific preferences and/or physiological profiles,including where user-specific modulation is supplied for personal ormedical needs, and which allows for enhanced control for user specificneeds, e.g., medical needs.

The biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods as describedherein provide avatar modulation without the need of a visual reference.That is, the present disclosure differs from traditional VR applicationsat least because the biometric enabled virtual reality systems andmethods of the present disclosure do not rely on cameras and imaging asdo traditional VR applications. For example, traditional methods ofcreating virtual images typically require a camera, lidar, or otherimaging capture device(s) to detect current and temporal positioning ofa user. Such methodology is typically, however, inaccurate and/orincomplete because existing imaging technology lacks the ability todetect the user's biometric signals and, as a consequence, isineffective at capturing user-specific differences that, as describedherein, enhance VR fidelity with respect to representing a usercorrectly in a VR space.

In addition, the disclosed biometric enabled virtual reality systems andmethods can comprise user-specific configuration(s) and/or physiologicalprofiling that provide accurate avatar creation, representation, and/orcontrol with respect to simple and/or complex user motion intentions,enabling users to experience an enhanced VR simulation of theirkinematic awareness (e.g., a kinetic self-awareness or proprioception asexperienced by the user) in holographic, virtual 2D, or virtual 3Dspace.

In addition, the present disclosure describes biometric enabled VRsystems that have the capacity to measure the user's intention toactivate muscles corresponding to an amputated extremity, regardless ofwhether or not motion is produced by an intention to activate thosemuscles, which may be non-existent (e.g., due to amputation).

Still further, the present disclosure further describes biometricenabled VR systems and methods for treating medical conditions, wherethe biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods comprisecapabilities to adapt to a user's unique condition, and by so doing,provide improvements over the prior art that lacked the ability to adaptto user-specific conditions or states.

As a still further example, the present disclosure further describesbiometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods configured toallow a user to appear in virtual space and/or as different from howthey are in ordinary space. Each of these embodiments is furtherdescribed herein.

More specifically, with respect to various embodiments, a biometricenabled virtual reality system is described herein. The biometricenabled virtual reality system is configured to detect one or more userintentions and to manipulate virtual avatar control based on the one ormore user intentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic,two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system comprises a biometric detectiondevice configured to collect biometric signal data of a user. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system further comprises a processorcommunicatively coupled to the biometric detection device. The biometricenabled virtual reality system further comprises a biometric softwarecomponent comprising computational instructions configured for executionby the processor, the computational instructions, that when executed bythe processor, causes the processor to determine, based on analysis ofthe biometric signal data of the user, a virtual representation of anintended motion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscleactivation of the user. The computational instructions, that whenexecuted by the processor, cause the processor to modulate, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion, virtual avatar control oroutput. The virtual avatar control or output may comprise manipulating avirtual avatar representing one or more aspects of at least one of theuser or an object manipulated by the user in a holographic, virtual 2Dspace, or a virtual 3D space. The virtual avatar may be rendered by avirtual interface configured to provide the user a kinematic awarenessin the holographic, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

In additional embodiments, a biometric enabled virtual reality method isdisclosed for detecting one or more user intentions and manipulatingvirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forproviding kinematic awareness in holographic, two-dimensional (2D), orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space. The biometric enabled virtualreality method comprises determining, based on analysis of a biometricsignal data of a user, a virtual representation of an intended motion ofthe user corresponding to an intention of muscle activation of the user,the biometric signal data collected by a biometric detection device. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality method may further comprise creating aphysiological profile of the user based on the biometric signal data ofthe user. The biometric enabled virtual reality method further comprisesmodulating, based on the virtual representation of the intended motionand by a biometric software component comprising computationalinstructions executed by a processor, virtual avatar control or output.The biometric enabled virtual reality method further comprisesmanipulating, based on the virtual avatar control or output, a virtualavatar representing one or more aspects of at least one of the user oran object manipulated by the user in holographic, virtual 2D space, or avirtual 3D space. The virtual avatar may be rendered by a virtualinterface configured to provide the user a kinematic awareness in thevirtual holographic, 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

In still further embodiments, a tangible, non-transitorycomputer-readable medium stores instructions for detecting one or moreuser intentions and manipulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for providing kinematic awareness inholographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtualspace. The instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causethe one or more processors to determine, based on analysis of abiometric signal data of a user, a virtual representation of an intendedmotion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscle activation ofthe user, the biometric signal data collected by a biometric detectiondevice. The instructions, when executed by one or more processors, mayfurther cause the one or more processors to create a physiologicalprofile of the user based on the biometric signal data of the user. Theinstructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause theone or more processors to modulate, based on the virtual representationof the intended motion and by a biometric software component comprisingcomputational instructions executed by a processor, virtual avatarcontrol or output. The instructions, when executed by one or moreprocessors, further cause the one or more processors to manipulate,based on the virtual avatar control or output, a virtual avatarrepresenting one or more aspects of at least one of the user or anobject manipulated by the user in a holographic, virtual 2D space, or avirtual 3D space. The virtual avatar may be rendered by a virtualinterface configured to provide the user a kinematic awareness in theholographic, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

In additional embodiments, a biometric enabled virtual reality system isconfigured to detect one or more user intentions and to modulate virtualavatar control based on the one or more user intentions for creation ofone or more virtual avatars or objects in holographic, two-dimensional(2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. The biometric enabledvirtual reality system comprises a biometric detection device configuredto collect biometric signal data of a user. The biometric enabledvirtual reality system further comprises a processor communicativelycoupled to the biometric detection device. The biometric enabled virtualreality system further comprises a biometric software componentcomprising computational instructions configured for execution by theprocessor, the computational instructions, that when executed by theprocessor, cause the processor to determine, based on analysis of thebiometric signal data of the user, a virtual representation of anintended motion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscleactivation of the user. The computational instructions, that whenexecuted by the processor, further cause the processor to modulate,based on the virtual representation of the intended motion, virtualavatar control or output comprising creating at least one of a virtualavatar representing one or more aspects of the user or an objectmanipulated by the user in a holographic, virtual 2D space, or a virtual3D space. The virtual avatar or object may be created in theholographic, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space based on at leastone of: (1) the biometric signal data of a user, or (2) user-specificspecifications as provided by the user.

In still further embodiments, a biometric enabled virtual reality methodis disclosed for detecting one or more user intentions and modulatingvirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forcreation of one or more virtual avatars or objects in holographic,two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality method comprises determining, based onanalysis of a biometric signal data of a user, a virtual representationof an intended motion of the user corresponding to an intention ofmuscle activation of the user, the biometric signal data collected by abiometric detection device. The biometric enabled virtual reality methodmay further comprise creating a physiological profile of the user basedon the biometric signal data of the user. The biometric enabled virtualreality method further comprises modulating, based on the virtualrepresentation of the intended motion and by a biometric softwarecomponent comprising computational instructions configured for executionby a processor, virtual avatar control or output. The biometric enabledvirtual reality method further comprises creating, based on the virtualavatar control or output, at least one of a virtual avatar representingone or more aspects of the user or an object manipulated by the user ina holographic, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space. The avatar orthe object may be created in the holographic, virtual 2D space, or thevirtual 3D space based on at least one of: (1) the biometric signal dataof a user, or (2) user-specific specifications as provided by the user.

In yet still further embodiments, a tangible, non-transitorycomputer-readable medium stores instructions for detecting one or moreuser intentions and modulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars orobjects in holographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D)virtual space. The instructions, when executed by one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to determine, based onanalysis of a biometric signal data of a user, a virtual representationof an intended motion of the user corresponding to an intention ofmuscle activation of the user, the biometric signal data collected by abiometric detection device. The instructions, when executed by one ormore processors, may further cause the one or more processors to createa physiological profile of the user based on the biometric signal dataof the user. The instructions, when executed by one or more processors,further cause the one or more processors to modulate, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions configured forexecution by a processor, virtual avatar control or output. Theinstructions, when executed by one or more processors, further cause theone or more processors to create, based on the virtual avatar control oroutput, at least one of a virtual avatar representing one or moreaspects of the user or an object manipulated by the user in aholographic, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space. The avatar or theobject may be created in holographic, the virtual 2D space, or thevirtual 3D space based on at least one of: (1) the biometric signal dataof a user, or (2) user-specific specifications as provided by the user.

More generally, in various embodiments, biometric virtual reality andcontrol systems and methods are described for the control and/ormodulation of a virtual avatar. The biometric virtual reality andcontrol systems generally comprise a biometric detection device thatcollects acceleration, inertia, orientation, and/or electromyographicinformation. The biometric detection device is coupled with a processorconfigured to detect an intention of a user (via biometric signals) tocreate movement from the user. If detected (i.e., movement isoccurring), the processor may be configured to determine a body portionor portions (e.g., arm or leg) of the user and its current position inspace about the user. Once calculated, virtual modulation or outputsregarding the current position in space about the user may be generatedand provided to the patient, via a virtual interface or other interface,in the form of a kinematic awareness, proprioception, corporeal cue, orotherwise as described herein. The processor may execute a softwareprogram (e.g., a biometric software component) to categorize thecharacteristics of the biometric signals collected from the user. Thecategorization may then be used by the processor to either create,destroy, or modulate (e.g., control) a virtual avatar to represent thecategorization of signals collected by the biometric enabled virtualreality system. The modulation of the virtual avatar may correspond tothe biometric signals detected from the biometric detection device andrendered (e.g., via a virtual interface) in a visual fashion to embodythe intended motion of the user. This may involve rendering an avatarthat resembles an injured body component as if it weren't injured oramputated, and/or rendering an object such as the steering wheel of acar, a firearm, etc. The virtual avatar may then be displayed to theuser through the visual field of the user and/or the user interface. Forexample, a user interface may be configured to provide real-time ornear-real time modulation of the virtual avatar to closely represent theintended movements as produced by the user in real-time or near-realtime.

As described herein the terms “virtual interface” and “user interface,”used either alone or together, refer to a visual and/or a graphicinterface (e.g., a graphic user interface (GUI)), rendered in eitherholographic, 2D, or 3D space via a display screen, via a projection(e.g., a holographic projector or a MICROSOFT MESH enabled device), orotherwise via a VR device, through which a user may view and/or interactwith one or more biometric enabled VR systems and methods as describedin various embodiments herein.

In various embodiments, the disclosure herein describes the use of boththe virtual space—where a computer or processor generates an artificialor virtual image of one or more objects being projected to a user—andthe ordinary space—where the user exists and performs his activities inthe physical world. In various embodiments, the user in ordinary spacehas the capacity to create biometric signals with his or her muscles(e.g., through their body), such as an intention to activate one or moremuscles which, when detected by a biometric device, allows the user tocontrol or otherwise modulate a virtual avatar existing in virtualspace. In such embodiments, the virtual interface and/or user interface,existing in virtual space, is configured to deliver a virtual userprompt and/or cue to the user with the purpose of instructing the userto perform a specific motion, action, or otherwise intention to activateone or more of their muscles within the ordinary space. Between thebiometric signals and detected from the user within the ordinary space,the biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods, as describedherein, are capable of creating one or more modular effects on virtualavatar(s) in virtual or holographic space, in order to create, control,animate, or otherwise modulate the virtual avatar(s), as describedherein.

In additional embodiments, a biometric virtual reality and controlmethod is described regarding how a user profile is generated, updated,and maintained throughout a user interfacing with the systems andmethods disclosed herein. The biometric virtual reality and controlmethod comprises performing, by biometric software component executed bya processor communicatively coupled to a biometric detection device, ananalysis of the user's biometric signals to create a profile based onthe unique characteristics of the biometric signals unique to the user.These unique signals as analyzed may be associated with specificmotions, periods of inactivity, or intention to perform a motion. Basedon the analyzed signals, the biometric virtual reality and controlmethod may be optimized to recognize similar, or deviations from, theanalyzed signals as prompted in the virtual reality system. Furthermore,by the detected combination of one or more analyzed biometric signals,the systems and methods disclosed herein are able to determine a complexmotion and related biometric signals of a specific user or patient. Thebiometric profile for the user comprises an electronic record ofbiosignal representations of user-specific biometric signal data, asstored in a computer memory.

In various embodiments, the biometric enabled virtual reality systemsand methods described herein allow the user to modulate a virtual avatarand/or his or her virtual representation of biometric signal data invirtual space. In such embodiments, modulation of a virtual avatar mayinclude, but is not limited to: size, shape, color(s), and/or a numberof associated representations (e.g., multiple virtual avatarsdemonstrating simultaneous biometric signal representation). In suchembodiments, the modulation of the virtual avatar may be initiated bythe user through a user interface.

In various embodiments as described herein, the modulation, creation,and/or control of the virtual avatar may include, but is not limited tovirtual bending, stretching, lifting, lowering, rotating, and/orotherwise moving the virtual avatar, and, in some aspects, according thespecifications of the user, and/or as denoted by the biometric signaldata analyzed by the processor and as collected by the biometric enabledvirtual reality system described herein.

The representative embodiments of the present systems and methodsdisclosed herein provide numerous advantages over commonly used methods,such as mirror reflection or simple videography, in that the biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods disclosed herein track thelocation (e.g., based on sensor location) of an uninjured ornon-amputated body component as a reference. The biometric enabledvirtual reality systems and methods disclosed herein provide anefficient and objective measurement technology wherein the user canreceive virtual feedback, a kinematic awareness cue, kinematic cue,corporeal cue, personalized virtual representation, and/or a virtualrepresentation of biometric signal data corresponding to the intentionof activating a muscle group without the need for a camera or referencedevice. In various embodiments, the many novel features described hereinresult in a new method for creating or modulating a virtual avatarand/or determining the intention of movement of a body component of auser.

In various embodiments herein, kinematic awareness, corporeal awareness,and proprioception refer to the user's ability to detect in virtualspace, via visual or tactile capabilities, one or more location(s) of avirtual avatar or object in reference to, or otherwise corresponding to,the user. In many of these embodiments, the detection of the virtualavatar or object may be superimposed over, or with, the user in virtualspace, and/or may replace the location of a user's corporeal componentin the event of an amputation. It is to be understood by persons havingordinary skill in the art that the user's awareness of the virtualavatar in space about the user, especially in the event of anamputation, greatly improves the user's ability to control or otherwisemodulate the virtual avatar. In these embodiments still, the user'sawareness of the virtual avatar further improves the capacity for theuser to receive therapeutic benefits from said awareness, especially incases when the user is presented with neurological pathologies, such asphantom limb pain. Further, the user's awareness, such as corporealawareness, proprioception, or kinematic awareness of the virtual avatarin space about the user, may provide the user with a greater capacity toperform particular tasks in virtual space, for example, virtually typingon a keyboard, raising a glass, and/or inserting a key into a lockbefore rotating the key counter-clockwise.

In various embodiments, a user may perform an intention to activate amuscle or muscle group, thereby enabling the biometric enabled virtualreality system to detect and analyze an intention to activate a muscleor muscle group. The analysis of the intention to activate a muscle ormuscle group, occurring regardless of whether or not the intentionprovided motion (e.g., in an extremity of the user), provides thebiometric enabled virtual reality system with biometric data andinformation that correlates to a user's-specific intention to activateone or more muscles, and, thereby, the intention to control theirvirtual representation or avatar. Additionally, or alternatively, thebiometric enabled virtual reality system and methods as described hereinmay store the analyzed intention as a key (e.g., reference and/orempirical data) to be referenced later against a subsequent analyzing ofuser biometric signal data. If a subsequent set of signals issubstantially similar, having biometric significance in the analyzedcharacteristics in reference to the first set of biometric signal data,the biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods may determinethat an intention to activate one or more muscle groups may be similarto a previous intention.

In some embodiments, a subsequent set of biometric data may be added toa computer memory in combination with a first set of biometric data. Insuch embodiments, this creates more reference points for an additional,third, fourth, and/or n^(th) data point or dataset, etc. In someembodiments, such collection of personalized user data can be used tomodulate, control, create, or recreate the virtual avatar. Additionally,or alternatively, personalized user data may be used as reference datato identify how a virtual avatar should be modulated.

Moreover, a biometric enabled virtual reality system may be configuredto track the progress, subjective inputs, and objective outputs (e.g.,trending analysis of collected biosignals from a user) of a user bylogging such data to create a user profile (e.g., a physiologicalprofile of the user). The user profile may be configured to be accessedthrough or by authorized personnel. The access may be remote. The accessby authorized personnel is especially useful for, and may be providedfor, rehabilitation, patient compliance, and/or remote usage andmonitoring purposes. Through the biometric enabled virtual realitysystem's capability of tracking a user's subjective symptoms, along withobjective biometric signal data, the biometric enabled virtual realitysystem may track a user's progress from injury onset throughrehabilitation, while enabling the simultaneous monitoring and trackingby a remote caregiver, provider, or otherwise authorized person(s). Inmany of these embodiments, the user profile may be modified, altered, orexpanded upon by authorized person(s) to improve the experience of theuser, such as through the modification of biometric signal data ordiagnostic algorithms to better fit the dynamic and user-specificsituation of the user.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinregarding the collection and categorization of biosignals or biometricinformation of a user. In such embodiments, the biometric enabledvirtual reality systems and methods use the biosignals or biometricinformation to derive or create a virtual avatar that represents orcategorizes characteristics of the biosignals or biometric information.The aforementioned categorization of biosignals or biometric informationof a user may involve using analyzed data to create a user profile(e.g., a physiological profile), execute hardware and/or softwarecommands, create customizable avatar modulation effects, and/or provideclinical recommendations based on the signal analytics to aid the userin improving performance or increase the yield of a desired outcome. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods allow a user,through intention to move a muscle group, to control a virtual avatar,to initiate a kinematic awareness cue, to initiate a kinematic cue, orto initiate a corporeal cue, each of which either alone, or together, invarious combinations, corresponding to the user's biometric signals. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system may provide feedback on theuser's intended motion, store the data from the user as biometricinformation in relation to the user's profile, detect specific motionsconducted by the user, detect specific motions of the user to establishbaseline readings, and store such information as reference informationfor empirical data analytics or as placeholders to reference againstsubsequent data collections. In general, the more biometric signal dataand empirical data the virtual reality system collects for a user, themore precise the system becomes at determining when a user is intendingto contract a muscle. The system, over time and with use, continues togain precision and accuracy in identifying the intention to contract oneor more muscle groups, specific to the user-generate biometric signals.

The biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods as describedherein may further comprise a user interface or virtual interface thatallows the user to customize his or her virtual avatar, view informationcollected from the biometric detection device, modulate his or herpersonal appearance in virtual space, their personal appearance asdepicted through the interpretation of the virtual avatar, and/or playgames involving the virtual avatar. The user interface may be comprisedof a display screen of a mobile or otherwise computing device beingconfigured to display virtual images. The computing device may becommunicatively coupled to a biometric detection device. The computingdevice may be communicatively coupled to the biometric detection deviceand a virtual reality immersive headset and/or an augmented realitysystem. The user interface may provide the user with prompts on whatmuscle movement intentions to perform, when, and how strong the usershould initiate the muscle movement intention. Alternatively, the usermay intend to perform a motion (activating neurons corresponding to oneor more muscles), causing the system to decode the biometric signal dataand identify the intention for an intended movement or activity, therebyinitiating modulation, by a processor of computing device, of thevirtual avatar or a related object in 2D, 3D, or holographic space.

A user interface or virtual interface may also prompt a user to inputpain levels before and/or after using the biometric enabled virtualreality system or methods to track the user's pain development overperiods of time as pain threshold data. The pain threshold data may thenbe used to optimize treatment times, types, and user prompts to bettersuit the user's specific condition to maximize the reduction in painthreshold as noted by the user. In various embodiments, collecting thepain threshold from the user may be used to provide recommendations onwhich motions should or should not be avoided. In continuance, thesystem or methods as describe herein may collect pain threshold datathat correlates with the fatigue and physical exhaustion of the user,which may be used to tailor diagnostic algorithms to the physicalcapabilities of the user. Furthermore, the user's associated painthreshold information may be coupled with a software component (e.g.,biometric software component) configured to display the user's biometricsignal and pain threshold data over a secure web-based platform,allowing viewing and monitoring from a physician, caregiver, researcher,or otherwise authorized individual or group.

In accordance with the above, pain thresholds as input by the user maybe used to optimize user prompts to better provide the user with aregimen suited towards their personal needs. For example, a user mayperform shoulder flexion to 90 degrees, with 90 degrees of elbowflexion, followed by external rotation of the shoulder during anintention to contract one or more muscles, as initiated by the user. Inthis scenario, the user may experience a high level of pain. In responseto this high level of perceived pain, the user may input theirsubjective interpretation of the level of pain experienced into thesystem. In subsequent events, the system may provide the user with auser prompt of similar characteristics, and the suggested motion may besufficiently attenuated to prevent discomfort to the user, e.g.,resulting in virtual interface output suggesting shoulder flexion of 45degrees, 45 degrees of elbow flexion, and removal of the externalrotation component. In various cases, depending on the pain thresholdsas identified by the user, specific motions may be attenuated orcompletely avoided, as suggested by the virtual interface, and at thediscretion of either the biometric enabled virtual reality system, theuser, or second user (e.g., authorized personnel) having the capacity toinfluence user-specific aspects of the systems and methods disclosedherein. In these scenarios, the pain thresholds as experienced by theuser may be stored within a computer memory in correspondence with theintended motion that initiated the onset of pain.

In many embodiments in accordance with the above, a pain threshold asexperienced by a user may be detected through either a biometricdetection device, optimized for collection of pain neurological signalsfrom nociceptors of the user, or through a subjective questionnairewherein the user may input their perceived levels of pain manually. Inmany of these embodiments, the pain threshold data may then be reviewedby a second user such as a clinician, physician, family member, orotherwise authorized user.

In some embodiments, the intention to move a muscle or muscle group of auser may consist of eccentric, concentric, isometric, or standardactivation of one or more motor neurons innervating one or more musclegroups. In some embodiments, these intentions to move a muscle or musclegroup are detected through one or more electromyographic electrodes,electrocardiogram electrodes, photodiodes, ultrasound sensors,accelerometers, inertial measurement units, electrooculogram sensors,infrared sensors, and/or one or more scleral search coils.

In some embodiments, a user's specific motion gesture (e.g., as promptedby the user interface), can be defined by, or selected from, a set ofpredetermined gestures in the user interface. The user may then be ableto practice particular motions, track progress, and log pain thresholdsfor specific motion and/or gestures. In some embodiments, a trainingprotocol with multiple prompted gestures or motions can be used tocreate a baseline for the user and/or add data to their biometricprofile. Additionally, or alternatively, a gesture or motion intentionmay involve a voluntary action on behalf of the user or involuntarymotion that is defined or simply performed by the user. In someembodiments, the user's specific motion gesture can be customized by theuser, allowing the user to create his or her own custom gestures thatcan be provided back to the user in the form of prompts.

In continuance of the above, the user's specific motion gesturecustomization may include facets to duration, magnitude, frequency,location, or otherwise electromyographic signal data characteristicsthat influence how the system collects, analyzes, records, and/oroutputs controls to modulate, control, and/or create the virtual avatarin accordance with the user's specific motion gesture customizations.

In accordance with the disclosure herein, the biometric enabled virtualreality systems and methods include improvements in computerfunctionality or in improvements to other technologies at least becausethe present disclosure recites that, e.g., a computing device, such as awearable or mobile computing device, is enhanced by the biometricenabled virtual reality system as described herein. Through the couplingof traditional computer functionality and the biometric enabled virtualreality system, biometric signals are used to generate or controlvirtual avatars resulting in enhanced control of detection of virtualgraphics. This benefit can be more readily available in devices that areconfigured to display a virtual avatar or otherwise a representation ofthe biometric signals of the user.

In various embodiments, a biometric detection system may be anycombination of an implantable, wearable, and/or remote device. Thecomponents for the detection of biometric signals can be in contact withthe user, subcutaneously positioned to the user, implanted within theuser, within proximity to the user, or otherwise positioned with respectto a user to collect biometric and/or biosignal information of the user.

The biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods describedherein may comprise an adaptive learning model (e.g., a machine learningmodel) that is configured to identify user-specific intentions toactivate one or more muscle groups based on at least one of anycombination of collected biosignals, the user's unique user profile,empirically collected biometric data, and/or real time references fromother biometric sensors collecting biosignal data of the user.

In various embodiments, user-specific intentions to activate one or moremuscle groups (e.g., an actuated voluntary gesture) may comprise aresulting physical response of the user initiating an intention toactivate one or more muscle groups. This voluntary intention on behalfof the user may be used to determine how the virtual reality avatar ismodulated, such as controlled or created. In various embodiments, thebiometric signal data and/or a virtual avatar based thereon, may bedisplayed on the user interface.

In various embodiments still, the inventive disclosure herein includesbiometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods for determining anobjective pain threshold of a patient. In such embodiments, a biometricdetection device may collect biosignals from a patient, which may thenbe analyzed by the processor and stored in the memory. From thesedatasets, common mode signals of the user are detected and subtracted orfiltered from the analytics, thereby removing any noise from motion,biometric detection device variance, atmosphere (e.g., light, radio waveinterference, etc.). Once the dataset has been filtered of noise, theremainder of signal data, detected by the biometric detection device, isassociated with nociceptor transmission electrical activity. Thesenociceptors, triggered by thermal, mechanical, chemical, or polymodalstimuli, are categorized by the frequency of electrical stimuli providedto the spinal cord and brain, along with signal data corresponding tocharacteristics within the signal data itself (e.g., amplitude,threshold values, etc.). Based on the frequency, amplitude, signalcharacteristics, and number of activated nociceptors, the processor maythen determine for the user an objective pain measurement. In variousembodiments, the objective pain measurement may then be provided to asecond user, having an authorized capacity to view and otherwiseinfluence biometric and/or biosignal data as collected from the userand/or the user profile. In these embodiments, the second user may alsohave the capacity to communicate with the user, and in the event theuser is receiving medical treatment, provide the user with medicaladvice and/or modulate the system's user motion prompt algorithms.

In some of the various embodiments still, the biometric detection devicemay be optimized to collect biosignal data from nociceptor cells withinthe user. Such cells may provide biosignals that relate to painthreshold and perception, and may comprise data defining a user'sphysiological profile.

In various embodiments, a user may be prompted through a user interfaceto perform a muscle action, intention, motion, or gesture. In theseembodiments, the intention to activate one or more muscles on behalf ofa user, especially subsequent to a user-prompt or cue, e.g., via a userinterface or virtual interface, may be linked to a specific activity asmentioned above. Such intentions, gestures, or complex motions may bedecoded from the biometric signals as collected by the biometricdetection device. Such gestures, being symbolic towards an intendedactivation of one or more muscle groups specific to the user, may bemotions readily understood by the user (e.g., “thumbs up”, “wave”,“clench fist”, etc.).

In accordance with the above, and with the disclosure herein, thepresent disclosure includes improvements in computer functionality orimprovements to other technologies at least because the presentdisclosure recites that, e.g., a computing device, such as a wearablecomputing device or a virtual reality system, is enhanced via thebiometric software or other components herein that allow for theenhanced control within a virtual reality system of a virtual avatar viathe biometric detectors and processing algorithms that createuser-specific profiles. That is, the present disclosure describesimprovements in the functioning of the computer itself or “any othertechnology or technical field” because a computing device, such as awearable device or a virtual reality system, can be updated or enhancedto provide more accurate control of avatars or the detection ofbiometric signals, which can then be used for therapeutic treatments forpatients that have neurological ailments. This improves over the priorart at least because the systems and methods herein provide for a fasterand/or more efficient way of measuring the biometric signals from a userand using such signals to modulate a virtual reality system avatar.

The present disclosure relates to improvement to other technologies ortechnical fields at least because the systems and methods disclosedherein allows a biometric detection system to modulate, such as controlor create, a virtual avatar with the intention to move one or moremuscles at greater accuracy and efficiency than conventional techniques,especially where the systems and methods disclosed herein involvecreating a user-specific profile to better determine when a user isinitiating the intention to move one or more muscles, and when reactingwith virtual objects. The advantages of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein become even more apparent when a user has a unique andspecific ailment, physical incapacity, personal social requirement(e.g., to visually appear to the user's unique specification in virtualspace), or physiological condition wherein traditional methods areinadequate.

In addition, the present disclosure includes applying certain aspects orfeatures, as described herein, with, or by the use of, a particularmachine, e.g., a wearable biometric device or other similar device toprovide a collection of biometric signals from the user to a processorfor the input into a biometric enabled virtual reality system.

The present disclosure includes effecting a transformation or reductionof a particular article to a different state or thing, e.g.,transformation or reduction of biometric signals of a user into a mediumeasily used to create a user-specific profile and/or virtual avatar,thereby enabling the improved upon control of the virtual avatar.

The present disclosure includes specific features other than what iswell-understood, routine, conventional activity in the field, or addingunconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular usefulapplication, e.g., biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methodsfor providing improved detection of biometric signals of a user andconfigured to use the associated biometric signals in the form ofbiometric data to modulate a virtual avatar.

Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart from the following description of the preferred embodiments whichhave been shown and described by way of illustration. As will berealized, the present embodiments may be capable of other and differentembodiments, and their details are capable of modification in variousrespects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regardedas illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures described below depict various aspects of the system andmethods disclosed therein. It should be understood that each Figuredepicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the disclosed system andmethods, and that each of the Figures is intended to accord with apossible embodiment thereof. Further, whenever possible, the followingdescription refers to the reference numerals included in the followingFigures, in which features depicted in multiple Figures are designatedwith consistent reference numerals.

There are shown in the drawings arrangements which are presentlydiscussed, it being understood, however, that the present embodimentsare not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown,wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates an example biometric enabled virtual reality systemconfigured to detect one or more user intentions and to manipulatevirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forproviding kinematic awareness in holographic, two-dimensional (2D), orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, in accordance with variousembodiments herein. FIG. 1A further illustrates a biometric enabledvirtual reality system configured to detect one or more user intentionsand to modulate virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars or objects inholographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtualspace, in accordance with various embodiments herein.

FIG. 1B is a diagram depicting one or more location(s) of biometricsensors positioned relative to a user for collection of biometric signaldata of the user, the positioning comprising in proximity to the user,in superficial contact with the user, subcutaneously positioned to theuser, or subdermally planted within the user, in accordance with variousembodiments herein.

FIG. 1C is a further diagram depicting the one or more location(s) ofbiometric sensors as described for FIG. 1B and positioned relative to auser for collection of biometric signal data of the user, thepositioning comprising in proximity to the user, in superficial contactwith the user, subcutaneously positioned to the user, or subdermallyplanted within the user, in accordance with various embodiments herein.

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a first set of biometric data and/orsignals of a user that may be collected by the example biometric enabledvirtual reality system of FIG. 1A, in accordance with variousembodiments herein.

FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a second set of biometric data and/orsignals of a user that may be collected by the example biometric enabledvirtual reality system of FIG. 1A, in accordance with variousembodiments herein.

FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating a third set of biometric data and/orsignals of a user that may be collected by the example biometric enabledvirtual reality system of FIG. 1A, in accordance with variousembodiments herein.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example method of creating aphysiological profile of the user based on the biometric signal data ofthe user, in accordance with various embodiments herein, including, withexample the methods of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 .

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example biometric enabledvirtual reality method for detecting one or more user intentions andmodulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars or objects inholographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtualspace, in accordance with various embodiments herein.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example biometric enabledvirtual reality method for detecting one or more user intentions andmanipulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic,two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, inaccordance with various embodiments herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates a user, in ordinary space, utilizing biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods, as described herein, tocreate a virtual avatar of herself, in virtual space and/or holographicspace, based on the biometric signals of the user collected by abiometric detection device, in accordance with various embodimentsherein.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment comprising a wheelchair userwith a biometric detection device attached to his leg in ordinary spacewith an example representation of the user's corresponding virtualavatar implemented in virtual space and/or holographic space, where thebiometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods, as describedherein, are configured to control an ambulatory avatar in the virtualspace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the systems and methods disclosed herein is susceptible of beingembodied in many different forms, it is shown in the drawings and willbe described herein in detail specific exemplary embodiments thereof,with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be consideredas an exemplification of the principles of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein and is not intended to limit the systems and methodsdisclosed herein to the specific embodiments illustrated. In thisrespect, before explaining at least one embodiment consistent with thepresent systems and methods disclosed herein in detail, it is to beunderstood that the systems and methods disclosed herein is not limitedin its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of components set forth above and below, illustrated in thedrawings, or as described in the examples. Methods and apparatusesconsistent with the systems and methods disclosed herein are capable ofother embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in variousways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein, as well as the abstract included below, are for thepurposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example biometric enabled virtual reality system100 configured to detect one or more user intentions 109 i and tomanipulate virtual avatar control (e.g., of virtual avatar 109 ev) basedon the one or more user intentions for providing kinematic awareness inholographic space, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D)virtual space, in accordance with various embodiments herein. FIG. 1Afurther illustrates a biometric enabled virtual reality systemconfigured to detect one or more user intentions 109 i and to modulatevirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forcreation of one or more virtual avatars or objects (e.g., virtual avatar109 ev) in holographic, two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D)virtual space, in accordance with various embodiments herein.

In various embodiments, biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 isconfigured to provide a kinematic awareness cue to the user in responseto biometric signal data that is received from a biometric detectiondevice (e.g., biometric detection device 102). Additionally, oralternatively, biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 isconfigured to modulate (e.g., create or control) virtual avatar controlin holographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space.

FIG. 1A depicts a user 101 interfacing with biometric enabled virtualreality system 100 while controlling a virtual avatar (e.g., virtualavatar 109 ev) corresponding to a missing extremity 109 e of the user101 (e.g., a phantom limb, such as an amputated limb, malformed limb, orotherwise non-whole extremity of the user 101). The user is viewing thevirtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) via a user interface 116 uof a user interface device 116 ud. The biometric enabled virtual realitysystem 100 comprises a biometric detection device 102 (e.g., a biometricdetector) configured to collect biometric signal data from the user'sbody. The user's field of view 116 f is mapped to, or configured tocorrespond with, the user interface 116 u to create or display a virtualfield of view 116 fv. The virtual field of view 116 fv is displayed viathe user interface 116 and contains, renders, or depicts the virtualavatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) as depicted, superimposed over theuser's injured body component (e.g., an amputated arm in the example ofFIG. 1A) in holographic space, virtual 2D space, or virtual 3D space.For example, virtual avatar 109 ev may be displayed on a display screenin 2D space (e.g., as rendered as 3D image in 2D space). Additionally,or alternatively, virtual avatar 109 ev may be displayed or rendered in3D space, e.g., via a VR headset. Additionally still, the virtual avatar109 ev may be depicted as a holographic image; appearing as a 2D or 3Dimage in the ordinary space as demonstrated by either a holographicprojector or VR headset (e.g., a MICROSOFT MESH enabled device).

In the example of FIG. 1A, user interface device 116 ud comprises a VRheadset. The VR headset may comprise a VR headset such as OCULUS VRheadset, an HP REVERB VR headset, a VALVE INDEX VR headset, a SONYPLAYSTATION VR headset, an HTC VIVE VR headset, a MICROSOFT MESHheadset, or the like. In such embodiments, user interface 116 ucomprises a display screen of the VR headset as attached or included aspart of the VR device (e.g., user interface device 116 ud), where userinterface 116 u comprise a graphic user interface (GUI) capable ofrendering VR graphics or images in virtual space via the user interface116 u of the VR headset.

Additionally, or alternatively, user interface device 116 ud be or mayfurther comprise a mobile device (e.g., a computing device 104), such asa cellular phone, tablet device, etc. such as an APPLE IPHONE or GOOGLEANDROID device. In such embodiments, the user interface 116 u comprisesa display screen of the mobile device as attached or included as part ofthe mobile device, where the user interface 116 u comprises a graphicuser interface (GUI) capable of rendering VR graphics or images on thedisplay screen of the mobile device. For example, interface device 116ud may be an APPLE IPHONE or GOOGLE ANDROID device having a displayscreen for rendering VR graphics or images on user interface 116 u via,e.g., a GOOGLE CARDBOARD device and related app software as implementedon the mobile device, or the like.

In various embodiments, user interface device 116 ud comprises, or iscommunicatively coupled to, one or more processors (e.g., a processor104 p), for executing computing instructions for rendering VR graphicsor images, or for implementing any algorithms, methods, flowcharts, etc.as described herein. In addition, the interface device 116 ud comprises,or is communicatively coupled to, one or more computer memories (e.g., amemory 104 m), for storing instructions for rendering VR graphics orimages, or for implementing any algorithms, methods, flowcharts, etc. asdescribed herein. In various embodiments, the one or more computermemories 104 may comprise tangible, non-transitory computer-readablemedium (e.g., RAM or ROM) for storing instructions, graphics, images, orthe like.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, a computing device 104 comprises processor104 p communicatively coupled to memory 104 m. In the depictedembodiment, processor 104 p is communicatively coupled (via wirelesssignals) to biometric detection device 102. Wireless signals maycomprise any one or more of IEEE 802.11 wireless signals (WIFI),BLUETOOTH signals, or the like. Additionally, or alternatively,processor 104 p may be communicatively coupled via wired signals, e.g.,via a USB or similar wired connection (not shown) to biometric detectiondevice 102.

In various embodiments, biometric enabled virtual reality system 100includes software components (e.g., biometric software component 107)that comprise computing instructions executable by a processor (e.g.,processor 104 p), and which may be computing instructions implemented inprogramming languages such as, e.g., C, C++, C#, Java, Python, Ruby, R,or the like. The software component may be stored on a memory (e.g.,memory 104 m) communicatively coupled (e.g., via a system-on-a-chip(SoC) and/or computing bus architecture) to one or more processors(e.g., processor 104 p). Processor 104 p may be an ARM, ATOM, INTELbased processor, or other similar processor (e.g., as typically usedwith wearable or similar devices) for executing the computinginstructions, applications, components, algorithms, source code, orotherwise software (e.g., of software component) as depicted ordescribed herein for various methods.

Execution of the computing instructions of a software component by theprocessor 104 p causes the processor 104 p to perform an analysis of thebiometric signal data (e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110,and/or 110 i) of the user 101 as detected by the biometric detectiondevice 102. For example, software component (stored in the memory 104 m)may contain computing instructions executable by the processor 104 p.The computing instructions may be compiled to execute on a processor(e.g., processor 104 p) or may be otherwise be configured to beinterpreted or run by the processor 104 p. Such computing instructionsmay be coded to execute the algorithms, such as the methods and/orflowcharts as described herein. For example, computing instructions of asoftware component (e.g., stored in memory 104 m) may comprise one ormore event listeners, such as a listener function programmed to detectand/or receive biometric signal data of user e.g., biometric signalsand/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) as detected and/or received from thebiometric detection device 102. In this way, the biometric signal dataof the user 101 would be pushed to, or otherwise received from,biometric detection device 102 for detection or generation of biometricsignal data that would trigger the listener function to provide suchbiometric data for use for virtual avatar or object modulation (e.g.,such as creation or control of a virtual avatar and/or an object) and/oras described for one or more portions the methods or algorithms of FIG.3 , FIG. 4 , and/or FIG. 5 , or otherwise, as described herein.

It is to be understood that processor 104 p and/or memory 104 m may bedifferently configured, arranged, and/or coupled with respect to any ofbiometric detection device 102, user interface device 116 ud, and/oruser interface 116 u. For example, additionally, or alternatively,processor 104 p and/or memory 104 m may be incorporated into a medicaldevice, such as prosthetic device, or other computing devicecommunicatively coupled to biometric detection device 102, userinterface device 116 ud, and/or user interface 116 u, and configured tooperate as part of biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 and/orto implement biometric enabled virtual reality method(s) as describedherein. For example, each of the biometric detection device 102 (withits various sensors, as positioned with respect to the user), processor104 p, memory 104 m, user interface device 116 ud, user interface 116,etc. may be communicatively coupled to one another via asystem-on-a-chip (SoC) architecture or other electronic architecture orinterface, which may comprise a computing device (e.g., computing device104) that includes hardware (e.g., processor 104 p) of biometric enabledvirtual reality system 100 of and/or software (e.g., computinginstructions as stored in memory 104 m) for implementing the biometricenabled virtual reality methods as described herein.

Additionally, or alternatively, biometric detection device 102,processor 104 p, memory 104 m, and/or other user interface 116 u may bepart of separate computing devices, which are communicatively coupled,e.g., via a wired or wireless connection. For example, in oneembodiment, user interface 116 u may be implemented on a separate orremote computing device (e.g., a laptop or computer) in wirelesscommunication (e.g., BLUETOOTH protocol or WIFI (802.11) standard) withthe biometric enabled virtual reality system 100, where a userconfigures the biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 (e.g., bytraining or otherwise configuring the biometric enabled virtual realitysystem 100, user interface 116 u, or biometric detection device 102components and configuration as described herein) via the remote userinterface 116 u on the separate computing device. A biometric enabledvirtual reality apparatus manager, comprising computing instructions,etc., may also be implemented or configured on separate computingdevice, to implement or control the biometric enabled virtual realitysystems and methods described herein.

With reference to FIG. 1A, biometric enabled virtual reality system 100comprises a biometric detection device 102 configured to collectbiometric signal data of user 101. In various embodiments, biometricdetection device 102 may include least one of (a) one or moreelectromyographic electrodes, (b) one or more inertial measurementunits, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one or more barometers; (e)one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or more infrared sensors, (g)one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or more electroencephalogramelectrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogram sensors, (j) one or moreaccelerometers, and/or (k) one or more scleral search coils.

Additionally, or alternatively, biometric detection device 102 may atleast be one of an implantable device (e.g. implanted on or within auser's body and/or skin); a wearable device (e.g. such as a watch, armband, leg band, an arm cuff, etc.); or remote detection device (e.g.,such as a remote control, or other device cable of sensing biometricsignals of a user). For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1A, biometricdetection device 102 is a wearable device on user 101's arm.

Biometric detection device 102 may be configured to be at least one of:subcutaneously positioned with respect to the user 122, in superficialcontact with the user 120, subdermally or implanted within the user 121,and/or within a proximity to the user 119. The biometric signals and/orbiometric data 103 may then be analyzed by the processor 104 p, tocreate a virtual avatar 109 ev and, in similar embodiments, superimposethe virtual avatar 109 ev over the amputated extremity (e.g., extremity109 e) of the user (e.g., user 101) to provide a kinematic awareness cuewithin the virtual visual field of the user 116 fv.

By way of non-limiting example, FIGS. 1B and 1C each depict diagramsdepicting one or more location(s) of biometric sensors of a biometricdetection device 102 positioned relative to a user for collection ofbiometric signal data of the user, the positioning comprising inproximity to the user, in superficial contact with the user,subcutaneously positioned to the user, or subdermally planted within theuser, in accordance with various embodiments herein. As illustrated byFIGS. 1B and 1C, sensors of a biometric detection device 102 may besituated in at least one of (a) proximity to a user 119, (b) superficialcontact to a user 120, (c) subcutaneously positioned to a user 122,and/or (d) subdermally planted within a user 121. In some embodiments,sensors positioned according to one or more of the positioning types119-122 may be used to collect the biometric signals from a user 101.

Certain advantages as to data fidelity and user-specific control,modulation, avatar creation, and otherwise are achieved through varioussensor placements and locations, as illustrated by FIGS. 1B and 1C. Forexample, the location(s) of the biometric sensors allow biometricdetection device 102 to collect biometric signal data of a user atdifferent and/or various intensities or types, and/or at differentand/or various fidelities to provide increased accuracy and/or differentqualities of biometric signal data. Such increased accuracy and/ordifferent qualities of biometric signal data provide the virtual realitysystems and methods described herein with exact or specific (e.g.,user-specific) biometric signals or data in order to allow for preciseand/or user-specific modulation, control, creation of virtual avatars orobjects, as described herein.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate diagrams (e.g., diagrams 117 a, 117 b, and 117 c)of sets of biometric data and/or signals of a user (e.g., user 101) thatmay be collected by the example biometric enabled virtual reality systemof FIG. 1A. In particular, FIG. 2A is a diagram 117 a illustrating afirst set of biometric data and/or signals of a user (e.g., user 101)that may be collected by the example biometric enabled virtual realitysystem of FIG. 1A, in accordance with various embodiments herein.Similarly, FIG. 2B is a diagram 117 b illustrating a second set ofbiometric data and/or signals of a user (e.g., user 101) that may becollected by the example biometric enabled virtual reality system ofFIG. 1A, in accordance with various embodiments herein. In addition,FIG. 2C is a diagram 117 c illustrating a third set of biometric dataand/or signals of a user (e.g., user 101) that may be collected by theexample biometric enabled virtual reality system of FIG. 1A, inaccordance with various embodiments herein.

Biometric detection device 102, with its various sensors (e.g.,positioned relative to user 101 as described herein for FIGS. 1B and/or1C) may collect biometric data and/or signals of user 101. For example,as shown in FIG. 1A, biometric data and/or signals 103 are collectedfrom the injured body component (e.g., amputated arm) of user 101. It isto be understood, however, that biometric data and/or signals may becollected from of a user at additional, or different, body components(e.g., either injured or non-injured), for example, at a user's leg,ankle, foot, arm, neck, head, and/or other body part and/or extremity.More generally, FIGS. 2A-2C demonstrate non-limiting different types ofbiometric data and/or signals that may be collected from a user (e.g.,user 101), as used to create a user-specific profile (e.g., aphysiological profile of a user) in relation to detected intentions ofthe user upon intending to activate one or more muscle groups of theuser.

FIGS. 2A-2C further illustrate examples of biometric signals and/or data103, 110, and/or 110 i as detected for a user (e.g., user 101) and theuser's intention to activate (or not activate) one or more muscles. Inparticular, FIGS. 2A-2C demonstrate examples where a biometric detectiondevice (e.g., biometric detection device 102) in superficial contact 120with user 101, for example, as shown for FIG. 1A. As shown for each ofdiagrams 117 a-117 c of FIGS. 2A-2C, biometric signals 103 of the userare received from the biometric detection device 102. Such biometricsignals 103 may be filtered or processed to become biometric data. Asdescribed herein, biometric signals and/or biometric data 103, 110,and/or 110 i may be referred to interchangeably herein as biometricdata, biometric signals, biometric signal data, biometric filteredsignals, biometric filtered data, and the like. Such biometric signalsmay be analyzed by a processor (e.g., processor 104 p) for the presenceof one or more user intentions to activate corresponding one or moremuscles. For example, diagrams 117 a and 117 c each illustrate biometricsignal portions 110 that may be determined by processor 104 p asindicating the presence of one or more user intentions to activatecorresponding one or more muscles. The biometric signal portions 110 mayrepresent an increased or intensified signal and/or data activity (ascompared to a baseline non-activity) of the user's detected biometricsignal data corresponding to the one or more user intentions to activatethe user's one or more muscles. For example, the presence of theintention(s) to activate one or more muscles is created by the user 101attempting to perform a motion (e.g., typically in response to a usermotion prompt 124), while in biometric contact with the biometricdetection device 102.

FIG. 2B (diagram 117 b) demonstrates a series or set of idle biometricsignals and/or data 110 i of a user (e.g., user 101). Such signals maybe received when the user is a rest. Such signals may be useful ingenerating or performing a baseline of the user (e.g., non-activity of auser). The baseline may be used as part of the user's physiologicalprofile, which is user-specific to the user. Together, biometric signalsand/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i may be used to define or otherwiserepresent a user-specific intention to activate one or more muscles, andmay be used in the analysis to determine whether or not the intention toactivate one or more muscles is present.

FIG. 2C (diagram 117 c) demonstrates multiple series or sets (set a, setb, and set c) of biometric signals and/or data (e.g., biometric signalsand/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) of a user (e.g., user 101). Each ofthe sets a, b, and c may be generated by different sensors of biometricdetection device 102, such as sensors as differently positioned asdescribed herein by FIGS. 1B and/or 1C. In some embodiments, thebiometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i may be combined(e.g., averaged, summed, etc.) to provide an overall signal of the userfor modulation, control, creation, and/or other determinations orprocessing (e.g., by processor 104 p) as described herein. Additionally,or alternatively, the biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110i may be separately processed (e.g., by processor 104 p) for modulation,control, creation, and/or other determinations or processing asdescribed herein.

It is to be understood that biometric signals and/or data 103, 110,and/or 110 i may be of analogue and/or digital form, where processor 104p may be configured to analyze one or both analogue and/or digitalsignals. For example, in various embodiments processor 104 p may beconfigured to receive analogue or raw signal data of a user as detectedby biometric detection device 102. Processor 104 p may be configured toreceive biometric signal data in digital form as processed orpre-processed by biometric detection device 102. Still further,additionally, or alternatively, processor 104 p may receive analogue orraw signal data of a user as detected by biometric detection device 102and process or filter such data to create digital data for additionaluse, analysis, determination, or as otherwise described herein. In someembodiments, for ease of reference, the term “biometric signals” may berefer to either or both of analogue or raw signal data of a user asdetected by biometric detection device 102, and the term “biometricdata” may refer to digital data as determined based on filtering and/orprocessing, by processor 104 p, of analogue or raw signal data of auser. However, it is to be understood that such terms may be usedinterchangeability herein.

Biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i, as described forFIGS. 2A-2C, illustrate the diversity of data collected from biometricdetection device 102. In various embodiments, biometric signals and/ordata 103 may comprise electromyographic data (EMG). FIGS. 2A-2Cdemonstrate the biometric signals collected from a variety of, butnon-limiting, biometric detection device 102 configurations. In FIGS. 2Aand 2C, the biometric signals which may be stored in the memory 104 m asbiometric signal data, demonstrate the user's intention to activate oneor more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signalsand/or data 110). In each of FIGS. 2A-2C, the biometric signals and/ordata (e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i,whether filtered or non-filtered) are recorded over time (x-axis) andmay be compared against the amplitude, frequency, and/or magnitude ofbiometric signals detected by the biometric detection device 102(y-axis). Diagram 2C demonstrates two separate intentions (intentions aand c) to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detectedfrom biometric signals and/or data 110) between moments of idle behavior(behavior b) on behalf of the user (e.g., user 101) to activate one ormore muscles that correspond with the biometric detectors detectingbiometric signals. FIG. 2B demonstrates biometric signal data 103collected from a user (e.g., user 101) that is currently collecting idlebiometric signals. Based on the contents of the signals collected fromFIG. 2B, the processor 104 p may determine after an analysis of muscleintention (e.g., analysis of muscle intentions 112 as described forFIGS. 4 and 5 herein) that the user 101 has not intended to activate oneor more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signalsand/or data 110 i). The biometric signal data 103 as illustrated inFIGS. 2A-2C, demonstrates a non-limiting and specific configuration ofbiometric sensors detected by the biometric detection device 102 at agiven time period.

Additionally, or alternatively, FIGS. 2A-2C may each represent separatechannels, which may each being individual biometric sensors (channels ofdata) that independently provide biometric signals from differentlocations around the user 101. While the user (e.g., user 101) initiatesan intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110), the biometricdetection device 102 may temporally record the biometric signals from orof the user (e.g., user 101) from across leads or sensors, for exampleas described herein for FIGS. 1B and/or 1C. Based on the biometricsignal data 103, 110, and/or 110 i recorded, the biometric signals fromleads or sensors may be used to determine intentions to activate one ormore muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signalsand/or data 110 by processor 104 p), respectively. In some instances,the biometric sensor recording data from a lead or sensor (e.g., asillustrated for FIG. 2B) may not pick up any intentions to activate oneor more muscles (e.g., as would be determined or detected from biometricsignals and/or data 110 i), and the associated muscles would beconsidered to be idle as described herein.

Furthermore, FIGS. 2A-2C demonstrate a range of measurement fidelity ofbiometric detection device 102 with respect to biometric signals of user101. Such measurement fidelity may include multiple different locationsabout the user (e.g., as described for FIGS. 1B and 10 ), which may ornot be temporally in tandem. Leads or sensors (e.g., as described forFIGS. 1B and 10 ) may detect signals indicating the intention toactivate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected frombiometric signals and/or data 110) in a similar temporal fashion. Basedon the configuration of the biometric enabled virtual reality system100, e.g., as determined by the user 101 in user interface 114 asdescribed herein for FIG. 3 , processor 104 p may determine that theintentions to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110) correlate with aspecific user muscle contract, motion, or intention. This informationmay then be used by the processor 104 p to determine the extent to whichthe virtual avatar 109 ev is to be modulated, created, controlled, orotherwise determined in order to render or display virtualrepresentation of the intended motion. In comparison, the biometricsignal data in FIG. 2B illustrates the user (e.g., user 101) being idle,or not otherwise generating biometric signals to an extent that wouldindicate the intention to not activate one or more muscles (e.g., asdetermined or detected from biometric signals and/or data 110 i).

Conversely, FIG. 2C may demonstrate the intention to activate one ormore muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signalsand/or data 110), whether or not the user (e.g., user 101) is able toactively move the muscles they are intending to activate. Because thebiometric signals generated by the user (e.g., user 101), and asdetected by the biometric detection device 102, are not necessarilydeterminate that a motion is taking place, the user (e.g., user 101) maybe intending to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110) but unable to createthe motion they are intending to conduct. Processor 104 p may determinethat the intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determinedor detected from biometric signals and/or data 110) is indicated throughthe biometric signal data 103 and/or 110 that is received by thebiometric device 102, and initiate the process to create or determine avirtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr irrespective ofwhether or not the user (e.g., user 101) was able to create the intendedmotion.

Still further, FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate biometric signal data as received(over time and recorded as signal data in the memory 104 m, temporally,or in segments), identified, or as otherwise detected when a user (e.g.,user 101) is active, e.g., performing a gesture, motion, or intention toactivate a muscle or a group of muscles to perform an action, such as auser motion prompt 124 as described herein. Biometric signal data isdetected over time via the biometric detection device 102 temporally, asdescribed herein, at various biometric signal strengths, which is as awhole, indicates a data pattern that defines or represents auser-specific or user selected motion, including, e.g., in response to auser motion prompt 124. In various embodiments, such data pattern may beused to generate, record, create, provide, or otherwise implement agiven user-specific configuration, as controlled by the user-interface116 u, in order to configure the biometric detection device 102, initialprofile 114, or user interface device 116 ud for specific use by theuser. In some embodiments, such detection of biometric signal data maycause processor 104 p to initiate a modulation of a virtual avatar, orotherwise create alternate visual cue to help the user 101 with theproprioception of virtual avatars about the user's 101 current space, asdepicted in the virtual visual field of the user 116 fv in eitherholographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space.

In the examples of FIGS. 2A-2C, in some embodiments, a motion intentionof the user (e.g., user 101), e.g., flexing the arm at the elbow, maycreate biometric signals that are consistent with recorded biometricsignal data (e.g., as previously recorded in memory 104 m). Such motionintention may be conducted on behalf of the user that is separate fromanother motion intention. As illustrated for FIG. 2D, the flexion at theelbow motion may be combined with the supination and/or pronation of thewrist. As a whole and in a sequence, these user-specific anduser-selected motions may be used by the processor 104 p to generate ordetermine virtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr In someembodiments, the virtual representation will move virtual avatar 109 evin holographic space or virtual space, e.g., as visible viauser-interface 116 u.

Additionally, or alternatively, a user-specific motion may be defined asone or more unique motions or motion intentions as defined by the user,e.g., by configuration via the user-interface 116 u. In some cases, themotion or motion intentions are defined by the user (e.g., user 101) or,in some embodiments, by a second user that has the capacity and/orauthorization to input information into the biometric enabled virtualreality system 100, to be stored in memory 104 m. This allows acaregiver, provider, physician, or otherwise authorized person(s) tomonitor, create, or define the biometric signal data as generated by theuser (e.g., user 101).

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example biometric enabledvirtual reality method 300 of creating a physiological profile (e.g.,physiological profile 105) of a user (e.g., a user-specific profile ofuser 101) based on the biometric signal data of the user, in accordancewith various embodiments herein. That is, biometric enabled virtualreality method 300 comprises creating, by computing instructionsimplementing an algorithm of method 300 and as illustrated by blocks ofFIG. 3 , a physiological profile 105 based on the analysis of thebiometric signal data 103. In various embodiments the physiologicalprofile 105 may be stored in memory 104 m. Method 300 may be used togenerate the physiological profile for use by the systems and methodsdescribed herein, including as described for FIGS. 4 and/or 5 . Invarious embodiments, a processor (e.g., processor 104 p) iscommunicatively coupled to a biometric detection device (e.g., biometricdevice 102) and is configured to create the physiological profile of theuser (e.g., user 101) based on the biometric signal data (e.g.,biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) of the user.

In various embodiments, method 300 initiation, generation, and/ormodification of a physiological profile (e.g., physiological profile105) of a user by an adaptive learning component (e.g., a machinelearning model 123), configured to identify user's 101 specificintentions to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110). The machine learningmodel 123 continuously analyzes biometric signal data (e.g., biometricsignals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) of the user and may update,generate (or regenerate) a user's initial profile 114 associated withthe user. The initial profile 114 is used to generate a user-specific,physiological profile 105 of the user. Such updating, generating, orregenerating may occur as the user 101 continues to use a biometricenabled virtual reality system 100, such as biometric enabled virtualreality system 100 as described herein for FIG. 1A. Over time,additional data (e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or110 i) may be collected and/or stored in the memory 104 m. The data maybe used to train (or retrain) machine learning model 123 to predict,classify, or otherwise determine muscle intention(s) of the user toidentify when a user (e.g., user 101) activates one or more muscles(e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/or data110).

Machine learning model(s), such as machine learning model 123, may becreated and trained based upon example (e.g., “training data”,) inputsor data (which may be termed “features” and “labels”) in order to makevalid and reliable predictions or classifications for new inputs, suchas testing level or production level data or inputs. In supervisedmachine learning, a machine learning program operating on a server,computing device, or otherwise processor(s), may be provided withexample inputs (e.g., “features”) and their associated, or observed,outputs (e.g., “labels”) in order for the machine learning program oralgorithm to determine or discover rules, relationships, or otherwisemachine learning “models” that map such inputs (e.g., “features”) to theoutputs (e.g., labels), for example, by determining and/or assigningweights or other metrics to the model across its various featurecategories. Such rules, relationships of the model may then be providedsubsequent inputs in order for the model, executing on a computingdevice, or otherwise processor(s) (e.g., processor 104 p), to predict,based on the discovered rules, relationships, or model, an expectedoutput.

In unsupervised machine learning, the server, computing device, orotherwise processor(s), may be required to find its own structure inunlabeled example inputs, where, for example multiple trainingiterations are executed by the computing device, or otherwiseprocessor(s), may be required to find its own structure in unlabeledexample inputs, where, for example multiple training iterations areexecuted by the computing device, or otherwise processor(s) to trainmultiple generations of models until a satisfactory model, e.g., a modelthat provides sufficient prediction accuracy when given test level orproduction level data or inputs, is generated. The disclosures hereinmay use one or more of such supervised or unsupervised machine learningtechniques.

For example, in FIG. 3 the machine learning model 123 may be loaded inmemory 104 m and may be trained with biometric signal data (e.g.,biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) as analyzed fromthe biometric signals collected by biometric detection device 102 and ascollected from the user 101. Once trained, machine learning model 123may then recognize the user-specific intention to activate one or moremuscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/ordata 110), which may be based on analysis of muscle intention 112. Themachine learning model 123 may then receive further or new biometricsignal data (e.g., new biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or110 i), wherein the biometric signals from the user 101 may be detectedas a given user-specific and/or user-selected motion, which may then beassociated with the analysis of muscle intention 112, to more accuratelyidentify the user-specific intention to activate one or more muscles(e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/or data110).

In some embodiments, machine learning model 123 may be retrained orupdated based on new biometric signal data (e.g., new biometric signalsand/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) of the user in order to optimize themachine learning model 123 for the identification or detection ofuser-specific intentions to activate one or more muscles (e.g., asdetermined or detected from biometric signals and/or data 110) and/or toimprove the quality of the analysis of muscle intentions 112, which isfurther described herein for FIG. 5 .

It is to be understood that FIG. 3 represents an example of using amachine-learning model to generate or modify a user's physiologicalprofile, and that additional or different techniques (e.g., non-machinelearning based techniques, such as procedural code or programmed logic)may be used to generate or modify a user's physiological profile.

In reference to FIG. 3 , the execution of the algorithm of method 300 byprocessor 104 p causes the processor 104 p to bind biometric signal data(e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) to initialprofile 114 of user 101. The binding (e.g., storage or collection) ofthe biometric signal data can improve the efficacy of the binding shouldthe biometric signal data demonstrate the intention to activate one ormore muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signalsand/or data 110), especially in subsequent temporal events wherein thesame intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110) occurs.

In some embodiments, biometric software component (e.g., stored inmemory 104 m and comprising computing instructions) may comprise auser-interface (e.g., a user-interface 116 u) configured to receive oneor more selections of the user 101 for customizing operation ofbiometric enabled virtual reality system 100. User-interface 116 u maycomprise various kinds or types, especially in relation to the user'sspecific needs. For example, in some embodiments, user-interface 116 umay comprise a button user interface (not shown), such as a depressibleand/or toggle button or switch, that when pressed causes the biometricenabled virtual reality system 100 to operate in different modes and/orstates (e.g., calibration mode, activity mode, virtual reality mode,mobile mode, etc.). For example, the learning mode may be toggled orselected when the user trains the biometric enabled virtual realitysystem's 100 machine learning model 123 to more effectively detect,record, and/or recognize when the user's 101 biometric signal data(e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) demonstratethe intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110) subsequent to, or inaccordance with, the analysis of muscle intention 112 as describedherein.

Additionally, or alternatively, a user interface (e.g., user interface116 u) may comprise a virtual user interface (e.g., a visual interface)configured to display at least a portion of the initial profile 114.Such virtual user interface may comprise a graphic user interface (GUI).Additionally, or alternatively, the GUI may demonstrate the virtualvisual field of the user 116 fv in virtual reality, and/or on anexternal screen. Furthermore, the virtual user interface may comprise(a) a customized software command editing function, (b) a calibration ortraining button, and/or (c) a biometric detection device apparatusmanager. For example, the customized software command editing functionmay be rendered via a GUI or screen of the biometric enabled virtualreality system 100 (e.g., on a wearable device such as an arm band,watch, mobile device screen, virtual reality headset, projector, oraugmented reality headset). This customized software command editingfunction may allow a user (e.g., user 101) to edit parameters and/orconfigurations of the biometric detection device 102, the user interfacedevice 116 ud, or other aspects of the biometric enabled virtual realitysystem 100 for effecting or increasing performance and fidelity ofbiometric enabled virtual reality system 100. This may include editingthe types, numbers, or characteristics of predetermined motionsavailable by the biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 or thatare stored in the memory 104 m. Additionally, or alternatively, this mayinclude user input (e.g., from user 101) to select, create, or otherwisemodulate the current availability of predetermine motions that thebiometric enabled virtual reality system 100 will use to prompt a user.

A calibration procedure 115 may be configured, e.g., by the user, toinclude new, modulated, or alternative motions to a list ofpredetermined motions that are stored in the memory 104 m. In subsequentusage, when the user (e.g., user 101) is utilizing the system 100, thepreviously added new, modulated, or alternative motions (e.g., as storedin memory 104 m) may be used for analysis of muscle intention 112 todetermine the intention of the user to activate one or more muscles(e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/or data110). Calibration procedure 115 may allow a user to set up, train, orotherwise configure the biometric enabled virtual reality system 100. Insome embodiments, this intention, as determined from calibrationprocedure 115, can then be represented in the virtual avatar 109 ev todemonstrate the virtual representation of an intended motion (e.g.,virtual avatar modulation 108).

As a still further example, an apparatus manager GUI of the biometricenabled virtual reality system 100 may be rendered via a GUI, screen,projector, or in virtual reality via a VR headset or display screen. Theuser (e.g., user 101) may access the apparatus manager GUI to adjust thesensitivity of the biometric detection device 102 (e.g., to detect thedegree or fidelity to which biometric signals are detected), to read andanalyze biometric signal data, to visualize live biometric signals, theupdate or change user profile 114, to filter biometric signal data, toalter physiological profile 105 settings stored in memory 104 m, and/oradjust parameters that control the type(s) of control mechanisms used bybiometric detection device 102.

In other embodiments, biometric detection device 102 may be tailored tothe anatomy of the user 101 to generate a completely uniqueconfiguration for the user. The biometric enabled virtual reality system100 may be further configured to allow for unique arrangements of thebiometric detection device 102 by training the machine learning model123 to optimize an analysis of muscle intention 112 of the user asdetected through the biometric signals of the user 101. In similarembodiments, the user interface 116 u allows the user 101 to enablecertain aspects of the system 100 to allow for optimized biometriccontrol and the detection of biometric signals. For example,optimization may occur when the user 101 provides at least one of thefollowing data points (e.g., stored in the memory 104 m): (a) number ofbiometric sensors, (b) location of biometric sensors, (c) physiologicalprofile information, and/or (d) calibration or biometric motion data.

The biometric enabled virtual reality system 100, in some embodiments,may be configured to output a virtual representation of an intendedmotion 108 vr, as based on biometric signal data of the user. Forexample, once biometric signals have been detected by the biometricdetection device 102, processor 104 p performs an analysis of muscleintention 112 based on the biometric signals. If it is determined thatthe user 101 has intended to activate one or more muscles (e.g., asdetermined or detected from biometric signals and/or data 110), thebiometric signal data in correspondence with the intention to activateone or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometricsignals and/or data 110) may be stored in the memory 104 m to build adata library for the user profile 114 and/or physiological profile 105.Once the muscle intention has been analyzed and the intention toactivate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected frombiometric signals and/or data 110) has been linked to a specific motion,the virtual avatar 109 ev may be modulated or controlled by theprocessor 104 p to demonstrate the virtual representation of theintended motion 108 vr via user interface 116 u. The virtualrepresentation of the intended motion 108 vr may include one or moreintentions to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110), and can be describedas a complex motion wherein the intended movement is activating musclesthat articulate about one or more skeletal joints. In some embodiments,the virtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr is present inthe virtual visual field of the user 116 fv within either holographic,virtual 2D, or virtual 3D space. For example, the virtual representationof the intended motion 108 vr may be visible through a VR headset,mobile device, display screen, projector, or otherwise visualmanifestation device, such as those described herein, to demonstrate amotion of the user 101 in kinematic awareness space about the user 101.

As an example, and with reference to FIGS. 1A and 3 , biometricdetection device 102 is in superficial contact 120 with user 101 aboutthe upper arm (e.g., roughly around the location of the brachialismuscle). User 101 has had an amputation below the elbow (e.g., amputatedextremity 109 e), that is missing the corporeal components of theforearm and wrist. In a visual field of the user 116 f, the user 101 cansee in real or ordinary space (without user interface device 116 ud) theamputated arm below the elbow. The user has kinematic awarenesspositioning of the elbow about the user 101. Through user interface 116u, the user 101 sees or experiences a virtual avatar 109 evsuperimposed, in virtual space, over a virtual representation of theamputated extremity 109 e. The virtual space is a virtual field of view116 fv that corresponds to the user's visual field 116 f in ordinaryspace. The virtual avatar 109 ev superimposed, in virtual space, over avirtual representation of the amputated extremity demonstrates ordisplays to the user an entire, intact extremity as if it were notamputated. The user interface 116 u and/or the virtual visual field ofthe user 116 fv provides the user (e.g., user 101) with a user motionprompt 124 to contract the brachialis muscle. If the user 101 createsbiometric signals, that subsequent to analysis for muscle intention 112,demonstrate the intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., asdetermined or detected from biometric signals and/or data 110) incorrespondence with the user's 101 initial profile 114 for biometricsignal data denoting the contraction of the brachialis muscle, thenprocessor 104 p will render or modulate virtual avatar 109 ev todemonstrate or represent a virtual representation of the intended motion108 vr on user interface 116 u. In this case, the virtual visual fieldof the user 116 fv would show user 101 the virtual arm contracting atthe elbow with the corporeal components of the forearm and wrist intact.Based on the biometric signal data, the processor 104 p may modulate thespeed, intensity, type of contraction (e.g., isometric, eccentric, orconcentric muscle contraction), direction of contraction, combination ofone or more muscle contractions, duration of contraction, and/orlocation of the virtual avatar 109 ev in the virtual visual field of theuser 116 fv. In the present example, the virtual representation of theintended motion 108 vr, being superimposed over the amputated extremityof the user (e.g., user 101), would then demonstrate the contraction ofthe brachialis muscle in the virtual visual field of the user 116 fv toimitate how the contraction would appear, and feel, kinematically to theuser 101 in the virtual visual field of the user 116 fv as if the user101's extremity 109 e were not amputated, thereby providing kinematicawareness in holographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space.

The above example may be further applied when user 101 generates anyamount, frequency, or duration of biometric signals that can be gatheredby the biometric detection device 102. In certain embodiments, one ormore sensors of biometric detection device 102 may be present to collectbiometric signals from multiple different locations about the user 101(e.g., as described for FIG. 2C), allowing the biometric enabled virtualreality system 100 to classify the intention to activate one or moremuscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/ordata 110) about one or more corporeal components, which can be furtherutilized by the processor 104 p to create complex virtualrepresentations of the intended motion 108 vr, or represent differentmotions that are overlapping temporally. For example, the system 100could create a virtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr ofthe user 101 to contract the deltoid, causing shoulder flexion, andsubsequently followed by the contraction of the brachialis muscle tocreate a virtual representation of the arm bending at the elbow whilethe entire arm is presented virtually and kinematically to the user(e.g., via user interface 116 u) to be in a state of shoulder flexion.In the present example, the motion can be further enhanced if the user101 also intends to perform pronation or supination of the forearm,along with flexion of the wrist and/or fingers, especially at the sametime of brachialis muscle contraction. It is to be noted that thebiometric enabled virtual reality system 100 is not limited by thelocation or contraction of a specific group of muscles, and the aboveexample is to demonstrate the system's 100 capabilities of categorizingand analyzing the biometric signals of the user 101 to create a virtualrepresentation of an intended motion 108 vr that may be complex in theamount of muscles activated (and the amount and/or type of biometricsignals and/or data collected and used by system 100) over a particulartemporal segment.

When the user 101 has either initiated the calibration procedure 115 oris in active use of user interface device 116 ud through the userinterface 116 u, the user interface 116 u may provide the user (e.g.,user 101) with a user motion prompt 124 (e.g., as described for FIG. 6). The user motion prompt 124 may have the user 101 perform an actionwithin virtual space (e.g., such as to reach down and pick up an object,supinate the hand, contract the brachialis, etc.). Upon the user 101performing the motion that was intended by the user motion prompt 124,the intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110) may cause the processor104 p to create a virtual representation of the intended motion 108 vrin correspondence with the user motion prompt 124. Should the analysisof the muscle intention 112 determine that the correct motion wasconducted by the user, in some embodiments, the processor 104 p maydetermine to store the associated biometric signals and/or data in thememory 104 m in correspondence with the motion indicated by the usermotion prompt 124. In subsequent prompts, wherein the biometric enabledvirtual reality system 100 prompts the user to do a motion that hasalready been conducted, the previously stored biometric signal data inthe memory 104 m may be used as empirical data to more accuratelydetermine the characteristics of the intention to activate one or moremuscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometric signals and/ordata 110) on behalf of the user 101, especially during the analysis ofmuscle intention 112.

Virtual Avatar Creation

The following description describes example benefits and advantages of abiometrically controlled virtual reality system that allows a user tocreate and/or modulate a virtual avatar without a video capturingcomponent.

In many of the preferred embodiments, the virtual avatar as representedin virtual space maintains relative temporal positioning to the user inordinary space to resemble in-time movements. The user's actions aremimicked based on the positioning of the sensors of the biometricdetection device 102 as described for FIGS. 1B and 1C. In particular,the position of the sensors of the biometric device can collect and/orrecord signals of particular body parts, at specific locations on theuser's body, each of which can provide a map or sensor map of differentsignals that processor 104 p and/or machine learning model 123 can useto detect specific signals and/or actions. In these embodiments, thetemporal aspect of mimicry is configured to represent the user'sintentions to activate one or more muscles at the moment of intentionprovides the user with more control over the biometric system along withthe prior art, as described herein.

For example, a user (e.g., in some embodiments, user 101) is awheelchair user, as described for FIG. 7 , and would like to modulatetheir virtual avatar within a virtual chat room of their choice. Withinthis virtual chat room, the user, along with the other attendingmembers, are depicted as cartoon humanoids that may walk, chat, orotherwise move within a virtual open space. The user, being a wheelchairuser, traditionally would only be able to have themselves naturallydepicted as a wheelchair user within the virtual space. However, withthe biometric enabled virtual reality system, the user may choose tomodulate their avatar to appear ambulatory and upright, as if not in awheelchair.

In accordance with the above example, the user couples the biometricdetection device (e.g., biometric detection device 102) with one or moremuscles that the user may use to later indicate a motion. In thisexample, the indicated motion may correspond to moving one or more legsin a forward direction within the virtual space. Thus, as the usergenerates muscle intentions that correspond to moving one or more legsin a forward direction, the virtual avatar will demonstrate the samemotions as indicated within virtual space.

In continuance with the above example, especially with a wheelchairuser, the biometric detection device may be configured to collectbiometric signal information directly from the user's legs. In the eventthat the user is capable of generating an intention to activate one ormore of their leg muscles, the biometric detection device can then beconfigured to coordinate these intentions with the modulation of thevirtual avatar—allowing the user to activate their lower extremitymuscles to modulate the virtual avatar even in the event that thewheelchair user is not able to manifest a muscle movement.

In some embodiments, the biometric detection device is configured todetect signals from a different part of the user's body than what thesystem will output as a virtual avatar modulation event. For example, awheelchair user has one atrophied leg and one amputated leg. Thebiometric detection device may be customized to collect biometric signaldata from the atrophied leg, corresponding to the ipsilateral leg in thevirtual avatar representation, whereas the rest of the biometricdetection device is configured to collect biometric signal data from theuser's abdomen, corresponding to the amputated leg in the virtual avatarrepresentation, thus, providing the user with control over multipleextremities in virtual space, or holographic space, irrespective of themhaving the ability to initiate an intention to activate one or moremuscles in only a single extremity.

In further embodiments as described herein, the biometric detectiondevice may be configured to collect biometric signals in relation to auser's motion, pain, and/or accelerometric information to determine themovement of a user in space.

In many preferred embodiments, the user is capable of training thevirtual reality enabled system (e.g., training machine learning model123) to couple one or more series of biometric signal data (e.g.,biometric signal data corresponding to quadricep flexion) to virtualreality movement of one or more virtual avatar representations (e.g.,quadricep flexion of the virtual avatar representation). In many ofthese embodiments, the activation of one or more muscle groups maycorrelate instead with a general command for the virtual avatar, withnon-limiting examples such as “walk forward”, “stand”, “handshake”,“smile”, etc.

In an embodiment, the system is configured to overlay, and/or replace,the user's associated third-party camera capture output with theresultant virtual avatar and the associated representations thereof asprovided by the collection of biometric signal data. In theseembodiments, the system may replace what would have traditionally been acamera-image output with the virtual avatar as generated by the systembased on the biometric signal data of the user, and without the use of acamera.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example biometric enabledvirtual reality method 400 for detecting one or more user intentions andmodulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars or objects inholographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space, in accordance with variousembodiments herein. Method 400 represents an algorithm or computinginstructions that may be stored on a memory (e.g., memory 104 m) andthat is expectable by a processor (e.g., processor 104 m). Moregenerally, method 400 illustrates a creation and modulation protocol fora virtual avatar in accordance with the various embodiments describedherein. Biometric enabled virtual reality method 400 provides accuratecontrol of an avatar in a virtual reality space, e.g., through a userinterface. Method 400 may be implemented by biometric enabled virtualreality system 100 describe herein.

Biometric enabled virtual reality method 400 comprises determining,based on analysis of a biometric signal data of a user, a virtualrepresentation of an intended motion of the user corresponding to anintention of muscle activation of the user, the biometric signal datacollected by a biometric detection device. In various aspects,determining the virtual representation of an intended motion of the usermay comprise creating the virtual representation of an intended motionof the user for placement of a virtual avatar and/or object in virtualspace or holographic space (e.g., in virtual 2D or 3D space). This isgenerally described for the various blocks (e.g., user 101 and analysisof muscle intention 112) of FIG. 4 . For example, biometric signals(e.g., biometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i, whetherfiltered or non-filtered) as illustrated by FIG. 4 may comprisebiometric signal data 103 as detected biometric signals from the user(e.g., user 101). Such signals may be captured, collected, detected, orotherwise sensed by biometric detection device 102. Biometric detectiondevice 102 may comprise various sensors, electrodes, leads, or the likefor collecting the biometric signals from the user, where such sensors,electrodes, leads, etc., may comprise, for example, at least of: (a) oneor more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or more inertialmeasurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one or morebarometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or more infraredsensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

In various embodiments, a user-specific intention of user 101 toactivate one or more muscles, or biometric signals or biometric signaldata 103 thereof, may comprise at least one of: eccentric contraction ofone or more muscles or muscle groups of a user (e.g., user 101);concentric muscle contraction of one or more muscles or muscle groups ofa user (e.g., user 101); and/or isometric contraction of one or moremuscles or muscle groups of the user (e.g., user 101). Such activity(e.g., any one or more types of contraction of a muscle and/or musclegroups) may cause electromyographic (EMG) signals to be produced by theuser (e.g., user 101) in the form of biometric signals, being madeavailable for the biometric detection device 102 to detect. Furthermore,such activity (e.g., any one or more types of contraction of a muscleand/or muscle groups) may cause additional biometric signals to becomeproduced by the user (e.g., user 101), including but not limited toaccelerometric, ultrasonic, optic, electric, temporal, thermal, and/orfluidic cues for detection by the biometric detection device 102.

At block 111, the biometric signal data 103 may be received by and/orprocessed by processor 104 to determine whether a specific muscleintention is present. If no such intention is present, then thebiometric signal data 103 may be stored in memory 104 m for laterprocessing (e.g., for training machine learning model 123).

If a muscle intention is present, then processor 104 p may begin ananalysis of muscle intentions 112. For example, analysis of muscleintentions 112 comprise processor 104 p determining or detecting whetherspecific signals (e.g., biometric data 110 as described for FIGS. 2A-2C)are present. An intention of muscle activation of a user (e.g., user101) may comprise one or more of: (a) a concentric muscle contraction,(b) an isometric muscle contraction, (c) an eccentric musclecontraction, or (d) an activation of neurons in a specific location onthe user's body, the activation invoked by the user, intending toactivate a muscle, regardless of whether or not muscle activationoccurs. For intention of muscle activations that involve activation ofneurons, such neurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motorneurons, (b) neurons innervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons,(d) sensory neurons, and/or (e) nociceptors.

Such analysis of muscle intentions 112 may be stored in memory 104 m forcurrent or later processing (e.g., for use of or for training of machinelearning model 123).

Biometric enabled virtual reality method 400 further comprisesmodulating, based on the virtual representation of the intended motionand by a biometric software component comprising computationalinstructions configured for execution by a processor, virtual avatarcontrol or output. This is generally described for items 108, 108 vr,109 ev, and 118 of FIG. 4 . In particular, in the embodiment of FIG. 4 ,analysis of muscle intentions 112 cause processor 104 p to analyzebiometric signal data for modulation of a virtual avatar 109 ev. Invarious embodiments, modulation may comprise control, output, and/orcreation of a virtual avatar or object (e.g., an object manipulated bythe user in 2D or 3D virtual space). For example, in embodiments orstages where a virtual avatar 109 ev, such as a graphic, VR graphic, orother image representing the user's extremity 109 e has not yetgenerated, biometric enabled virtual reality method 400 creates (118)the virtual avatar 109 ev.

For example, biometric enabled virtual reality method 400 comprisescreating (118), based on the virtual avatar control or output, at leastone of a virtual avatar representing one or more aspects of the user(e.g., extremity 109 e) or an object manipulated by the user inholographic, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space. Virtual avatarcontrol or output comprises processor 104 p creating or modifying avirtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) and/or controlling thevirtual avatar 109 ev in holographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space based onbiometric data 103 of the user. A virtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar109 ev) may comprise at least one of: (a) an avatar portion of a musclegroup or an anatomy of the user, or (b) an avatar rendered inholographic, 2D virtual space, or 3D virtual space depicting the usercorporeally different than the user appears in ordinary space. Inaddition, creating the virtual avatar comprises categorizing orclassifying one or more types of user intended motions corresponding tothe biometric signal data of the user. Still further, a virtual avataris created or configured for rendering or controlling in holographicvirtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space. In particular, creating (118)virtual avatar 109 ev comprises generating graphics or images based onthe biometric signal data, where, for example, the various sensors, asattached to user 101, provide data to processor 104 p such thatprocessor, based on biometric signal data, and the positions of thesensors of biometric detection device 102 (e.g., as described for FIGS.1B and 1C), is able to map, in holographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space, aposition of the user's extremity 109 e. From the mapping, processor 104p may generate, and superimpose on extremity 109 e, virtual avatar 109ev as viewable in holographic, 2D, or 3D virtual space via userinterface 116 u in the virtual visual field 116 fv of the user. Inparticular, processor 104 p may then provide a virtual representation ofthe intended motion 108 vr of the virtual avatar in holographic, 2D, or3D virtual space. In various embodiments, the virtual avatar may beconfigured for display on a virtual interface (e.g., user interface 116u) such that the virtual avatar is rendered on the virtual interface aspart of a picture, a motion picture, a video, a video game, or one ormore image frames.

In various embodiments, biometric enabled virtual reality method 400comprises creating (118) a virtual avatar or the object in holographic,virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space based on at least one of: (1)the biometric signal data of a user (e.g., biometric data 103), and (2)user-specific specifications as provided by the user. The user-specificspecifications may be provided by the user as described herein for FIG.3 . For example, the user-specific specifications may include at leastone of: visual characteristics of the virtual avatar, or auditorycharacteristics of the virtual avatar, and wherein the user-specificspecifications are selectable by the user from a predetermined list.Processor 104 p may be configured to create a physiological profile (asdescribed for FIG. 3 ) of the user based on the biometric signal data ofthe user, where the physiological profile includes the user-specificspecifications.

Once created, or otherwise determined, additional virtual avatarmodulation 108 of virtual avatar 109 ev may occur in holographic, 2D, or3D virtual space. For example, such modulation of a virtual avatar 109ev may comprise at least one of: (a) changing a color of the virtualavatar; (b) changing one or more dimensions of or distorting the virtualavatar; (c) translating the virtual avatar; (d) rotating the virtualavatar; (e) reflecting the virtual avatar about a predetermined axis; or(f) performing dilation on the virtual avatar.

In additional embodiments, virtual avatar modulation 108 of a virtualavatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) may involve rendering of virtualavatar 109 ev on user interface 116 for a variety of purposes and/orcontexts. For example, a virtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev)may be rendered via a virtual interface (e.g., user interface 116 u) asrepresenting at least one of the intention of muscle activation of theuser or a motion of the user. In some embodiments, the virtual interface(e.g., user interface 116 u) may be configured to be accessed orcontrolled by one or more additional authorized persons. In suchembodiments, the virtual interface is configured to provide theadditional authorized persons with one or more of: (a) display of thebiometric signal data of the user or profile records, or; (b) input toprovide the user with cues, notifications, questionnaires, and/ormessages through the virtual interface.

In some embodiments, a virtual avatar may comprise an avatar or objectdepicted with one or more graphical features selected by a user (e.g.,user 101). The one or more graphical features may be rendered as part ofthe virtual avatar in the 2D virtual space or 3D virtual space.

Kinematic Awareness and Phantom Limb Pain Treatment

The disclosure further describes use of biometric or biosignal detectiondevices (e.g., biometric detection device 102), and related biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods, that utilizes a user'sintention to move an extremity (e.g., extremity 109 e) to augment avirtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) without the need of avisual cue or reference. Through the usage of advanced biometricdetectors, the systems and methods disclosed herein measure a user's(e.g., user 101) intention to contract a muscle; specifically, throughthe measurement of biosignals (e.g., biometric data 103, 110, and/or 110i) that indicate a physiological intention for a muscle group tocontract.

For example, every tissue in the body is electrically active. When auser attempts to initiate a movement, the associated muscles generateselectromyographic (EMG) electrical signals with characteristicscorresponding to the number of muscle fibers, the intensity of themovement, and duration for which the intended muscles are to contract.Such signals are described herein, for example, for FIGS. 1A-C and2A-BC. By measuring such signals, or with signals similar to these, thesystems and methods disclosed herein uses machine learning and patternrecognition algorithms (e.g., machine learning model 123) to identifythe user's intention to activate a specific muscle group—even if theintention is not strong enough, or the user is unable, to providemovement. This aspect becomes increasingly relevant for users thatrequire physical rehabilitation or require kinematic awareness cues totreat an ailment or condition.

In accordance with the disclosure herein, the number of muscle fibersthat are recruited to perform an action as intended by the user arelargely influenced by the number of motor neurons innervating saidmuscle fibers. In many embodiments, a number of muscle fibers that areattempting to be recruited to perform a user intention (e.g., flexing amuscle) may be correlated with the perceived effort on behalf of theuser to perform said user intention. Furthermore, the location of musclefibers that are recruited to perform a user intention, based on thespecific configuration of the biometric detection device, may allow thesystem to determine which muscle fibers are being recruited to perform amuscle contraction, especially in correspondence to particular musclesand/or muscle groups. In these embodiments, the system may use thelocation of recruited motor neurons, neurons, and/or muscle fibers (asdetermined by a proximity or location of sensors, for example, asdescribed for FIGS. 2A-2C herein) to determine the intended motion ofthe user. Subsequent to the identification of the user's intention toactivate one or more muscles, and the identification of said muscles,the system, as initiated by the processor, may determine the intendedmotion on behalf of the user.

In an example in accordance with the disclosure herein, a biometricdetection device (e.g., biometric detection device 102) may receivebiometric signal data from the user that corresponds with thebrachioradialis muscle. In such examples, the biometric enabled virtualreality system 100, as described herein, may determine that the user isattempting to perform elbow flexion, indicating to a processor (e.g.,processor 104 p) to modulate a virtual arm to perform elbow flexion inaccordance with the collected biometric signal data, regardless if theuser is able to perform elbow flexion in ordinary space. In the sameexample, if the biometric detection device receives information thatmany motor neurons are attempting to recruit muscle fibers, theresulting virtual avatar may represent a more forceful or stronger levelof elbow flexion; this aspect becomes especially relevant whendetermining the amount of intended output strength as initiated by theuser. In the same example still, if the biometric detection devicereceives information relating to fewer motor neurons innervating musclefibers being recruited, that the user is attempting to perform anisometric contraction—as if to hold an object in virtual space. Theabove example is intended to be explanatory, and should not be construedas limiting in any fashion.

In the case of a user having an amputation, sometimes the user willexperience pain associated with the body part that was amputated—eventhough there is no physical limb to represent it. This is a phenomenonreferred to as Phantom Limb Pain (PLP). Although a component of the bodymay be amputated, in certain users, the nerves that would typicallyinnervate an extremity may still be intact with the muscles in whichthey are coupled. Thus, a patient's phantom limb pain could be treatedthrough “tricking” the brain that the body component is still, in fact,intact. This is done through the user contracting the muscles thatcorrespond to the amputated body component while providing the brainwith a kinematic awareness cue of the body component as if it wereintact (e.g., a visual representation of the amputated limb).Traditionally, this kinematic awareness cue of the body component iscreated through recording the uninjured body component with a camera andrecreating the image superimposed over the injured body component. Theuser would simultaneously move the uninjured body component whileattempting to contract the injured component, creating a synchronousmuscle contraction, visual cue, and activation of the innervatingnerves—causing the brain to interpret the kinematic awareness cue as ifthe limb were not amputated, and in fact, performing movement the brainwould expect through the corresponding muscle contraction. By providingthe brain with a kinematic awareness cue of an amputated limb, researchhas demonstrated statistical significance in reducing the amount ofphantom limb pain perceived by the user. The biometric enabled virtualreality systems and methods disclosed herein provide for measuring theintention of contracting a particular muscle group without using anuninjured body component as a visual reference via camera, mirrorreflection, or similar visual recording technology.

In some embodiments and configurations as described herein, the user mayhave undergone rehabilitative surgery to improve their capacity toutilize one or more of their muscles (e.g., Targeted MuscleReinnervation “TMR”), wherein a nerve or series of neurons are moved,reattached, or repurposed to innervate a target muscle. The targetmuscle may present as being different than the muscle the nerve orneurons were initially intended to innervate. In these embodiments andconfigurations, the biometric enabled virtual reality systems andmethods disclosed herein may be configured to collect biometric signaldata from the newly-innervated muscle and determine a user-specificmovement in accordance with the location and purpose-function of thenewly innervated muscle. It is to be understood by persons havingordinary skill in the art that such configurations are infinite inpermutations, and the system's algorithms have been designed as such toallow for customizability and modularity to allow such vast quantitiesof permutations without sacrificing the user's capacity to biometricallycontrol a virtual avatar.

The systems and methods disclosed herein do not require an uninjuredbody component as a reference to create a kinematic awareness cue tosuperimpose over the injured body component. Instead, the systems andmethods disclosed herein uses biometric detectors to measure the bodycomponent's physiological signals to detect the intention for a musclecontraction directly. Thus, if a patient has a bilateral amputation, thesystems and methods disclosed herein can be used on one, or bothextremities, to create independent superimposed images of the bodycomponents, thus allowing the kinematic awareness cues to be controlledseparately. Furthermore, more in-depth analytics such as contractionmagnitude, limb orientation, complex movement identification, andgestures can be discerned through the biometric signals that arecollected from the patient's injured body component. These biometricsignals may then be used by the biometric enabled virtual realitysystems and methods disclosed herein to create a virtual avatar of theinjured body component, and through virtual space, project the avatarover where the user's body component would traditionally be; thus,creating a kinematic awareness cue of the injured body component withoutthe need of a reference extremity. The avatar in virtual space may beembodied as a representation of the user's extremity, a representationof the biometric signals collected from the biometric detection device,an object to be controlled or manipulated, or simply a display of theuser's intent to activate a muscle group.

For example, a user that has bilateral upper extremity amputations atthe wrist would have the capability of creating a kinematic awarenesscue in virtual reality through the intention (e.g., intentions 109 i) tocontract muscles that would normally correspond to the forearm, wrist,or components of the hand. By measuring the biometric signals throughforearm muscles that correspond to the hand, the virtual reality systemcreates the kinematic awareness cue without a reference image ascaptured by a camera or reflected by a mirror. By comparison,traditional methods of creating a visual image of phantom limb movementwould be impossible for this particular user because they do not have anuninjured limb that could provide itself as a visual reference.Furthermore, because the signals generated from the user are specific tothat user, the biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methodsdisclosed herein may use artificial intelligence (e.g., machine learningmodel 123), including but not limited to deep learning capabilitiesand/or pattern recognition to create a biometric user profile that moreaccurately represents the different states of muscle contractionintention from a user. This allows the biometric enabled virtual realitysystems and methods disclosed herein to improve upon the accuracy andprecision in which identification a user's contraction of a muscle, theduration for which the intention to contract a muscle persists, and tothe amplitude of which each is occurring. Through this functionality thesystems and methods disclosed herein is able to present itself as a moreversatile, accurate, and comprehensive technology in addressing userswith unique complications while providing more accurate methods ofdemonstrating a virtual avatar, kinematic awareness cue, or superimposedimage over an injured body component.

In many of the preferred embodiments, the user may have bilateralextremity amputations—prohibiting one limb functioning as a referencelimb. In these scenarios, the system's functionality to measure thebiometric signals from both of the amputated extremities allows the userto control one or more virtual avatars, each corresponding to thebiometric signals detected from the corresponding amputated extremity,without the need for either a camera or referencing device.

The biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods disclosedherein also address a need for an enhanced virtual reality treatment ofneurological disorders that may be unique to a patient. Based on themachine learning aspect of the system (e.g., via machine learning model123), the systems and methods disclosed herein may be used by aclinician, caregiver, or through self-use to rehabilitate, train, orotherwise assist in the neurological rehabilitation of one or more bodycomponents that may present with abnormal neurological control. Therehabilitation, training, or otherwise assisting in the neurologicalcontrol may be used to improve the quality of life for a patient thathas experienced a neurological deviation from a healthy norm due to aninjury, amputation, genetic disorder, pathology, or otherwisedegenerated nature of the user's nervous control capabilities of theirinjured body component.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example biometric enabledvirtual reality method 500 for detecting one or more user intentions andmanipulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic,two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, inaccordance with various embodiments herein. Method 500 represents analgorithm or computing instructions that may be stored on a memory(e.g., memory 104 m) and that is expectable by a processor (e.g.,processor 104 m). Method 500 may be implemented by biometric enabledvirtual reality system 100 describe herein. More generally, FIG. 5illustrates how biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 modulates avirtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev). FIG. 5 also demonstrateshow different sources of information, such as detected biometric signalsor data (e.g., biometric data 103) by biometric detection device 102,data of a physiological profile 105, and/or other empirical data sourcescan be used (e.g., by the processor 104 p) to accurately modulate thevirtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev).

In various embodiments, biometric enabled virtual reality method 500comprises determining, based on analysis of a biometric signal data of auser (e.g., 101), a virtual representation of an intended motion (e.g.,virtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr) of the usercorresponding to an intention of muscle activation of the user. Thevirtual representation of the intended motion 108 vr of the usercorresponding to the intention of the muscle activation of the user mayrepresent an intention to activate one or more muscles. The biometricsignal data (e.g., biometric data 103) may be collected by a biometricdetection device (e.g., biometric detection device 102), and stored inmemory 104 m. Biometric detection device 102 may comprise at least oneof: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, and/or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

Determination of a virtual representation of an intended motion of theuser corresponding to an intention of muscle activation of the user maybe performed as described herein with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 . Forexample, the one or more user intentions may comprise specific muscleactivations such as a user intention to perform one or more gestures. Asspecific examples, an intention of muscle activation of the user maycomprise one or more of: (a) a concentric muscle contraction, (b) anisometric muscle contraction, (c) an eccentric muscle contraction, or(d) an activation of neurons in a specific location on the user's body,the activation invoked by the user, intending to activate a muscle,regardless of whether or not muscle activation occurs. Neuronsindicative of intentions of muscle activation may comprise of at leastone of; (a) motor neurons, (b) neurons innervating one or more muscles;(c) interneurons, (d) sensory neurons, or (e) nociceptors.

In addition, a physiological profile 105 may also be loaded into memory104 m and provided to processor 104 p for user-specific modulation(e.g., virtual avatar modulation 108) of user 101. The physiologicalprofile of the user may be created based on the biometric signal data ofthe user and/or user-specific information (such as information/answersprovided by the user via the virtual interface).

Biometric enabled virtual reality method 500 further comprisesmodulating (e.g., virtual avatar modulation 108), based on the virtualrepresentation of the intended motion and by a biometric softwarecomponent comprising computational instructions (e.g., represented bythe algorithm of method 500) executed by a processor (e.g., processor104 p), virtual avatar control or output. Modulating, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions executed by aprocessor, virtual avatar control or output may be performed asdescribed herein with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 .

In the example of FIG. 5 , user 101 controls a virtual reality device(e.g., user interface device 116 ud) which may create or render virtualavatar 109 ev. Virtual avatar 109 ev may comprise at least one of: (a)an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or (b) anavatar portion of an amputated portion of the user's body rendered as avirtual body part of the user as non-amputated. In various embodiments,the virtual avatar may rendered on a virtual interface (e.g., userinterface device 116 ud) as part of a picture, a motion picture, avideo, a video game, or one or more image frames.

In some embodiments, virtual reality device (e.g., user interface device116 ud) renders a user motion prompt 124 to prompt the user to contracta muscle, make a certain gesture, or otherwise perform an action togenerate biometric data 103. For example, a virtual interface (e.g.,user interface device 116 ud) is configured to prompt the user toperform a gesture intention that corresponds to the intention of muscleactivation. For example, in some embodiments, method 500 may comprisedetermining a pain threshold of the user. The virtual interface may berendered including a prompt instructing the user position or move a bodyportion of the user to attenuate the pain threshold or optimize atreatment of the body portion or corresponding body portion of the user.In some embodiments, the virtual avatar may rendered via the virtualinterface as representing at least one of the intention of muscleactivation of the user or a motion of the user. This may provide asimilar effect to the user looking into a mirror, or may, at least,provide relief to the user regarding phantom limb pain.

In some embodiments, the virtual interface (e.g., user interface 116 u)is configured to be accessed or controlled by one or more additionalauthorized persons. In accordance with such embodiments, the user 101may receive user motion prompts 124 to indicate an intention to activateone or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometricsignals and/or data 110) on behalf of a user 101. For example, thevirtual interface is configured to provide the additional authorizedpersons with one or more of: (a) display of the biometric signal data ofthe user or profile records, or; (b) input to provide the user withcues, notifications, questionnaires, or messages through the virtualinterface. Authorized persons may be able to access the virtualinterface on behalf of the user. In various embodiments, the user may beparalyzed or has reduced neurological control over an injured extremity.Additionally, or alternatively, the user may be unable to perform theintended motion in ordinary space.

The user may further interact with user interface 116 u for providingadditional input or information (e.g., for generation of physiologicalprofile 105). Biometric information or user information may then be usedby processor 104 p to perform an analysis of muscle intentions 112 ofthe user 101. If the one or more muscle intentions are not detected, auser may be prompted 124 again to perform an action to generatebiometric data 103. However, if one or more muscle intentions aredetected, then processor 104 p may begin or continue virtual avatarmodulation 108 of virtual avatar 109 ev.

Virtual avatar modulation 108 of virtual avatar 109 ev, via biometricenabled virtual reality method 500, may comprise manipulating, based onthe virtual avatar control or output, a virtual avatar (e.g., virtualavatar 109 ev) representing one or more aspects of at least one of theuser or an object manipulated by the user in holographic space, virtual2D space, or virtual 3D space. The virtual avatar may represent ordepict one or more aspects of at least one of the user or the objectmanipulated by the user correspond to at least one of: the biometricsignal data of the user, or; (b) a data stream representation of thebiometric signal data of the user. Manipulating the virtual avatar maycomprise categorizing or classifying one or more types of user intendedmotions corresponding to the biometric signal data of the user.

In various embodiments, the virtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev)is rendered by a virtual interface (e.g., user interface device 116 ud)configured to provide the user a kinematic awareness in the virtual 2Dspace or the virtual 3D space. For example, the virtual avatar controlor output is configured to provide as at least one of: attenuation of apain condition or as a kinematic awareness rehabilitative cue formuscular neurological control of the user.

In some embodiments, the pain condition of the user is treated throughvirtual administration of a kinematic awareness cue. The kinematicawareness rehabilitative cue provides a non-opioid pain managementalternative. Such kinematic awareness rehabilitative cue may also beapplicable to user conditions of pain such as brachial plexopathy,stroke, or for a user with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CPRS). Thekinematic awareness rehabilitative cue can be provided to treat phantomlimb pain where the user is an amputee. For example, manipulating andrendering of the virtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 ev) on thevirtual interface (e.g., user interface 116 u) causes the user toexperience a decreased perception of phantom pain. More generally, akinematic awareness rehabilitative cue is provided by method formuscular neurological control of the user and comprises a temporallyrepresentative visual cue, as rendered in holographic space, virtual 2Dspace, or the virtual 3D space on user interface 116 u, that correspondsto a virtual position of an amputated or non-present limb (e.g. virtualavatar 109 ev) of the user in reference to the user based on thebiometric data (e.g., biometric data 103) of the user. In someembodiments, a quantity value of pain of the user may be determined,where the quantity value may be calculated, by processor 104 p, throughat least one of: (a) analysis of the biometric signal data indicatingthe pain of the user, or, (b) input, via the virtual interface (e.g.,user interface 116 u), of user-specific responses or pain-relatedinformation as provided by the user.

Method 500 demonstrates a flow diagram or of an example virtual avatar109 ev control algorithm in accordance with the various embodimentsherein. The biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 provides realtime (or near-real time), analyzed movements based on the biometricsignal data as detected by the biometric device 102. In variousembodiments, software components may be stored in the memory 104 mand/or otherwise configured or set up as described in FIG. 5 orelsewhere herein. In various embodiments, biometric detection device 102may receive a raw signal data, or otherwise biometric signals from auser 101 and generate, transform, pass through, identify, and/orotherwise detect biometric signal data for analysis by a processor 104p. Biometric detection device 102 may detect raw signal data orotherwise biometric signals of user 101 as described herein.

As described for FIG. 5 , user 101 may be provided with a user motionprompt 124 to initiate modulation of virtual avatar 109 ev. For example,a user 101 acts upon the user interface 116 u to initiate the processor104 p, enabling system 100 to receive input data and to output a virtualexperience via VR device 116 ud. The VR device may prompt 124 user 101to perform a specific or series of muscle movements. In someembodiments, the user motion prompt 124 is delivered to the user 101through a GUI of the user interface 116 u, and in other embodiments, isdelivered to the user through the virtual visual field of the user 116fv, or combination thereof. Once the motion prompt 124 has beendelivered to the user 101, the processor 104 p utilizes the biometricsignal data 103 to perform an analysis of the muscle intention 112 todetermine whether the user 101 performed the same intention to activateone or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometricsignals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) that corresponds with theuser motion prompt 124. In the event that the user 101 performed themotion intended by the user motion prompt 124, the processor 104 p usesthe biometric signal data from the corresponding intention to activateone or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected from biometricsignals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i) to drive the characteristicmodulation of the virtual avatar 109 ev in holographic space, 2D space,or 3D space. In some embodiments, the modulation of the virtual avatar108 involves using characteristics of the biometric signal data 103,110, and/or 110 i to determine the extent to which the virtual avatar109 ev is modulated. For example, if the user 101 provides weakbiometric signals, in correspondence with the user motion prompt 124,then a proportionally weak modulation of the virtual avatar 108 occurs,in part, or in full, as determined by the processor 104 p, andvice-versa for strong signals, and/or other signals ranging therebetween.

In various embodiments the biometric signal data 103 may be analyzedwith at least one of the following algorithms or computationaltechniques, including: (a) fuzzy logic; (b) pattern classification; (c)computational neural networks; (d) forward dynamic modeling; or (e)support vector machines. In various embodiments, such data analysis maycomprise creating at least one user-specific physiological profile 105as described herein. The user-specific physiological profile is uniqueto the user, and may be used in computational software components toincrease the accuracy and precision of the identification of theintention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined ordetected from biometric signals and/or data 110).

In many of the disclosed embodiments, and with reference to the examplesof FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 , a user (e.g., user 101) may utilize the biometricenabled virtual reality system 100 for the control and modulation of avirtual avatar 109 ev for social purposes. In these embodiments, theuser 101 will utilize the biometric detection device 102 to drive themodulation of a virtual avatar 108, the virtual avatar 108 ev beingdisplayed in virtual space 126. In many of these embodiments, space 126represents holographic space within the virtual visual field of the user116 fv for the user 101 or other person(s) within the social program orsystem. In these embodiments further, the modulation of the virtualavatar 109 ev is controlled by the processor 104 p, receiving thebiometric signals from the biometric detection device 102, and using thebiometric signal data 112 to modulate the virtual avatar 109 ev.

In many preferred embodiments, the user 101 has the option to change,modify, or otherwise alter the characteristics of a virtual avatar 109 hto better suit their personal or social needs. For example, FIG. 6illustrates a user 101, in ordinary space 125, utilizing biometricenabled virtual reality systems and methods, as described herein, tocreate a virtual avatar 109 h of herself, in virtual space 126 based onthe biometric signals collected by a biometric detection device 102, inaccordance with various embodiments herein. In similar embodiments, theuser 101 in ordinary space 125 may use the system 100 as described tocreate a virtual avatar 109 h in virtual space 126, wherein

User 101 may determine that her virtual avatar 109 h should have brownhair, green eyes, or other characteristics of the virtual avatar 109 hthat the user 101 chooses. In many of these embodiments, the biometricenabled virtual reality system 100 will provide the opportunity tomodify the virtual avatar 109 h through the user interface 116 u,providing user 101 with the ability to demonstrate themselves in virtualspace 126 as a virtual avatar 109 h with modular characteristics. Inmany of these embodiments, the user 101 is provided with the capacity todemonstrate themselves in virtual space 126 wherein the space furtherrepresents a holographic space.

In another example, a stroke patient (not shown) may have lost asubstantial amount of control over one side of their face, having onlyunilateral control over the nerves and muscles. Through the usage of thesystems and methods disclosed herein, the stroke patient would becapable of depicting themselves in virtual space (e.g., a ZOOM or GOOGLEHANGOUTS conference) as if they maintained bilateral control of theirfacial muscles and nerves. These utility and advantages becomeincreasingly apparent in the description of the technology as providedherein.

In accordance with the above embodiment, the user's 101 modulation ofthe characteristics of the virtual avatar 109 h merely changes theappearance of the avatar in their chosen virtual space 126, wherein thevirtual space 126 may be holographic space, but does not necessarilydetermine the relative functionality of the virtual avatar 109 h withinthe user's 101 chosen medium of virtual space 126. In these cases,wherein the user 101 has decided to modulate the characteristics of thevirtual avatar 109 h, the user 101 may still be able to control andmodulate the virtual avatar 109 h through the biometric detection device102, as determined by the processor 104 p, when initiating the intentionto activate one or more muscles (e.g., as determined or detected frombiometric signals and/or data 103, 110, and/or 110 i). Based on theconfiguration and setup of the initial profile 114, the system 100 mayserve user-unique purposes regarding the signal characteristics of thebiometric signal data 112 and which aspects of the virtual avatar 109 hare to be modified, based on the analysis of the biometric signal data103, 110, and/or 110 i.

In some embodiments, the virtual 2D space or the virtual 3D space inwhich a virtual avatar (e.g., virtual avatar 109 h) is rendered, may beprovided by a third-party platform such that a virtual avatar (e.g.,virtual avatar 109 h) is configured for rendering or controlling in theholographic space, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space of thethird-party platform. A third-party platform may comprise a social chatroom, meeting space, conference, or like program that enables the userto display their virtual avatar to themselves and/or other persons invirtual space.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment comprising a wheelchair user101 with a biometric detection device 102 attached to his leg inordinary space 125 with an example representation of the user'scorresponding virtual avatar 109 k implemented in virtual space 126,where the biometric enabled virtual reality systems and methods, asdescribed herein, are configured to control the virtual avatar 109 k asan ambulatory avatar in the virtual space 126. Control of virtual avatar109 k provided by biometric enabled virtual reality system 100 asdescribed for FIGS. 3-5 herein, including as described for controland/or modulation a virtual avatar 109 ev. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 ,user 101 depicts himself in virtual space 126 differently he appears inordinary space 125, the virtual space 126 further comprise a holographicimage being displayed in holographic space. For example, user 101 is awheelchair user and does not have the physical capacity to stand, walk,or otherwise ambulate in ordinary space 125, but nonetheless desires toappear as ambulatory in virtual space 126, wherein the virtual space 126may further comprise a virtual avatar 109 k in holographic. User 101selects, via user interface 116 u, the characteristics of their virtualavatar 109 k as an ambulatory virtual avatar. User 101 may furtherselect a configuration for his biometric detection device 102 that mayinitiate the intention to activate one or more muscles (e.g., asdetermined or detected from biometric signals and/or data 103, 110,and/or 110 i) that correspond with the action to have their virtualavatar 109 k ambulate in virtual space 126.

In the example of FIG. 7 , wheelchair user 101 may be attending avirtual hangout meeting with his coworkers and friends, wherein each ofthe attendees are depicted as animated figures in a hangout room tofreely walk about and converse with one another. The wheelchair user 101may determine that he would not like to be depicted in virtual space asbeing constantly sitting, especially when the other users areambulatory. In this scenario, the wheelchair user may be able to depictthemselves in virtual space as if they were not wheelchair bound, andthrough the usage of a biometric detection device and biometric enabledvirtual reality system 100 as described herein, ambulate around thevirtual hangout space as if they were not a wheelchair user. Themodulation of their virtual avatar 109 k, as depicted in virtual space,becomes a modular and virtual avatar that is based off of the biometricsignals collected from the biometric detection device 102. The virtualavatar 109 k, being an extension of the user's biometric signals,comprises aspects that correspond to the biometric signal data of thewheelchair user (e.g., user 101) as collected and analyzed by processor104 p, and as modulated as describe herein.

Aspects of the Disclosure

1. A biometric enabled virtual reality system configured to detect oneor more user intentions and to manipulate virtual avatar control basedon the one or more user intentions for providing kinematic awareness inholographic space, two-dimensional (2D) virtual space, orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, the biometric enabled virtualreality system comprising: a biometric detection device configured tocollect biometric signal data of a user, a processor communicativelycoupled to the biometric detection device, and; a biometric softwarecomponent comprising computational instructions configured for executionby the processor, the computational instructions, that when executed bythe processor, cause the processor to: determine, based on analysis ofthe biometric signal data of the user, a virtual representation of anintended motion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscleactivation of the user, and modulate, based on the virtualrepresentation of the intended motion, virtual avatar control or outputcomprising: manipulating a virtual avatar representing one or moreaspects of at least one of the user or an object manipulated by the userin holographic space, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space, whereinthe virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interface configured toprovide the user a kinematic awareness in the holographic space, virtual2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

2. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 1, wherein theintention of muscle activation of the user comprises one or more of: (a)a concentric muscle contraction, (b) an isometric muscle contraction,(c) an eccentric muscle contraction, or (d) an activation of neurons ina specific location on the user's body, the activation invoked by theuser, intending to activate a muscle, regardless of whether or notmuscle activation occurs.

3. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 2, wherein theneurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motor neurons, (b) neuronsinnervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons, (d) sensory neurons,or (e) nociceptors.

4. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-3, wherein the virtual interface prompts the user to perform agesture intention that corresponds to the intention of muscleactivation.

5. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-4, wherein the virtual avatar comprises at least one of: (a)an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or (b) anavatar portion of an amputated portion of the user's body rendered as avirtual body part of the user as non-amputated.

6. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-5, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered via the virtualinterface as representing at least one of the intention of muscleactivation of the user or a motion of the user.

7. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-6, wherein the virtual avatar representing one or more aspectsof at least one of the user or the object manipulated by the usercorrespond to at least one of: the biometric signal data of the user,or; (b) a data stream representation of the biometric signal data of theuser.

8. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-7, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered on the virtualinterface as part of a picture, a motion picture, a video, a video game,or one or more image frames.

9. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-8, wherein the biometric detection device comprises at leastone of: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

10. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-9, wherein manipulating the virtual avatar comprisescategorizing or classifying one or more types of user intended motionscorresponding to the biometric signal data of the user.

11. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-10, wherein the virtual avatar control or output is configuredto provide as at least one of: attenuation of a pain condition or as akinematic awareness rehabilitative cue for muscular neurological controlof the user.

12. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 11, whereinthe pain condition of the user is treated through virtual administrationof a kinematic awareness cue.

13. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-12, wherein the manipulating and rendering of the virtualavatar on the virtual interface causes the user to experience adecreased perception of phantom pain.

14. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-13, wherein a kinematic awareness rehabilitative cue formuscular neurological control of the user comprises a temporallyrepresentative visual cue, provided in the holographic space, virtual 2Dspace, or the virtual 3D space, that corresponds to a virtual positionof an amputated or non-present limb of the user in reference to the userbased on the biometric data of the user.

15. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-14, wherein the biometric software component further comprisescomputational instructions, that when executed by the processor, causethe processor to: determine a quantity value of pain of the user, thequantity value calculated through at least one of: (a) analysis of thebiometric signal data indicating the pain of the user, or, (b) input,via the virtual interface, of user-specific responses or pain-relatedinformation as provided by the user.

16. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-15, wherein the virtual interface is configured to be accessedor controlled by one or more additional authorized persons, wherein thevirtual interface is configured to provide the additional authorizedpersons with one or more of: (a) display of the biometric signal data ofthe user or profile records, or; (b) input to provide the user withcues, notifications, questionnaires, or messages through the virtualinterface.

17. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-16, wherein the virtual representation of the intended motionof the user corresponding to the intention of the muscle activation ofthe user represents an intention to activate one or more muscles.

18. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 17, whereinthe user is paralyzed or has reduced neurological control over aninjured extremity

19. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 17, whereinthe user is unable to perform the intended motion in ordinary space.

20. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-19, wherein the biometric software component comprisescomputational instructions that when executed by the processor, furthercause the processor to: determine a pain threshold of the user; andrender, on the virtual interface, a prompt instructing the user positionor move a body portion of the user to attenuate the pain threshold oroptimize a treatment of the body portion or corresponding body portionof the user.

21. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-21, wherein the biometric software component comprisescomputational instructions that when executed by the processor, furthercause the processor to: create a physiological profile of the user basedon the biometric signal data of the user.

22. A biometric enabled virtual reality method for detecting one or moreuser intentions and manipulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographicspace, two-dimensional (2D) virtual space, or three-dimensional (3D)virtual space, the biometric enabled virtual reality method comprising:determining, based on analysis of a biometric signal data of a user, avirtual representation of an intended motion of the user correspondingto an intention of muscle activation of the user, the biometric signaldata collected by a biometric detection device; modulating, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions executed by aprocessor, virtual avatar control or output; and manipulating, based onthe virtual avatar control or output, a virtual avatar representing oneor more aspects of at least one of the user or an object manipulated bythe user in holographic space, a virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3Dspace, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interfaceconfigured to provide the user a kinematic awareness in holographicspace, the virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

23. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 22, whereinthe intention of muscle activation of the user comprises one or more of:(a) a concentric muscle contraction, (b) an isometric musclecontraction, (c) an eccentric muscle contraction, or (d) an activationof neurons in a specific location on the user's body, the activationinvoked by the user, intending to activate a muscle, regardless ofwhether or not muscle activation occurs.

24. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 23, whereinthe neurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motor neurons, (b)neurons innervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons, (d) sensoryneurons, or (e) nociceptors.

25. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-24, wherein the virtual interface prompts the user to performa gesture intention that corresponds to the intention of muscleactivation.

26. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-25, wherein the virtual avatar comprises at least one of: (a)an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or (b) anavatar portion of an amputated portion of the user's body rendered as avirtual body part of the user as non-amputated.

27. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-26, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered via the virtualinterface as representing at least one of the intention of muscleactivation of the user or a motion of the user.

28. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-27, wherein the virtual avatar representing one or moreaspects of at least one of the user or the object manipulated by theuser correspond to at least one of: the biometric signal data of theuser, or; (b) a data stream representation of the biometric signal dataof the user.

29. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-28, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered on the virtualinterface as part of a picture, a motion picture, a video, a video game,or one or more image frames.

30. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-29, wherein the biometric detection device comprises at leastone of: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

31. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-30, wherein manipulating the virtual avatar comprisescategorizing or classifying one or more types of user intended motionscorresponding to the biometric signal data of the user.

32. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-31, wherein the virtual avatar control or output isconfigured to provide as at least one of: attenuation of a paincondition or as a kinematic awareness rehabilitative cue for muscularneurological control of the user.

33. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 32, whereinthe pain condition of the user is treated through virtual administrationof a kinematic awareness cue.

34. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-33, wherein the manipulating and rendering of the virtualavatar on the virtual interface causes the user to experience adecreased perception of phantom pain.

35. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-34, wherein a kinematic awareness rehabilitative cue formuscular neurological control of the user comprises a temporallyrepresentative visual cue, in holographic space, the virtual 2D space,or the virtual 3D space, that corresponds to a virtual position of anamputated or non-present limb of the user in reference to the user basedon the biometric data of the user.

36. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-35 further comprising determining a quantity value of pain ofthe user, the quantity value calculated through at least one of: (a)analysis of the biometric signal data indicating the pain of the user,or, (b) input, via the virtual interface, of user-specific responses orpain-related information as provided by the user.

37. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-36, wherein the virtual interface is configured to beaccessed or controlled by one or more additional authorized persons,wherein the virtual interface is configured to provide the additionalauthorized persons with one or more of: (a) display of the biometricsignal data of the user or profile records, or; (b) input to provide theuser with cues, notifications, questionnaires, or messages through thevirtual interface.

38. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-37, wherein the virtual representation of the intended motionof the user corresponding to the intention of the muscle activation ofthe user represents an intention to activate one or more muscles.

39. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 38, whereinthe user is paralyzed or has reduced neurological control over aninjured extremity

40. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 38, whereinthe user is unable to perform the intended motion in ordinary space.

41. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-40 further comprising determining a pain threshold of theuser; and render, on the virtual interface, a prompt instructing theuser position or move a body portion of the user to attenuate the painthreshold or optimize a treatment of the body portion or correspondingbody portion of the user.

42. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 22-41 further comprising creating a physiological profile of theuser based on the biometric signal data of the user.

43. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storinginstructions for or detecting one or more user intentions andmanipulating virtual avatar control based on the one or more userintentions for providing kinematic awareness in holographic space,two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, that whenexecuted by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:determine, based on analysis of a biometric signal data of a user, avirtual representation of an intended motion of the user correspondingto an intention of muscle activation of the user, the biometric signaldata collected by a biometric detection device; modulate, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions executed by aprocessor, virtual avatar control or output; and manipulate, based onthe virtual avatar control or output, a virtual avatar representing oneor more aspects of at least one of the user or an object manipulated bythe user in holographic space, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space,wherein the virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interface configuredto provide the user a kinematic awareness in the holographic space, thevirtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.

Additional Aspects of the Disclosure

1. A biometric enabled virtual reality system configured to detect oneor more user intentions and to modulate virtual avatar control based onthe one or more user intentions for creation of one or more virtualavatars or objects in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D) space, orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, the biometric enabled virtualreality system comprising: a biometric detection device configured tocollect biometric signal data of a user, a processor communicativelycoupled to the biometric detection device, and; a biometric softwarecomponent comprising computational instructions configured for executionby the processor, the computational instructions, that when executed bythe processor, cause the processor to: determine, based on analysis ofthe biometric signal data of the user, a virtual representation of anintended motion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscleactivation of the user, and modulate, based on the virtualrepresentation of the intended motion, virtual avatar control or outputcomprising creating at least one of a virtual avatar representing one ormore aspects of the user or an object manipulated by the user inholographic space, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space, wherein thevirtual avatar or object is created in the holographic space, virtual 2Dspace, or the virtual 3D space based on at least one of: (1) thebiometric signal data of a user, or (2) user-specific specifications asprovided by the user.

2. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspect 1, wherein the intention of muscle activation of the usercomprises one or more of: (a) a concentric muscle contraction, (b) anisometric muscle contraction, (c) an eccentric muscle contraction, or(d) an activation of neurons in a specific location on the user's body,the activation invoked by the user, intending to activate a muscle,regardless of whether or not muscle activation occurs.

3. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 2, wherein theneurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motor neurons, (b) neuronsinnervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons, (d) sensory neurons,or (e) nociceptors.

4. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-3, wherein the virtual avatar comprises at least one of: (a)an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or (b) anavatar rendered in the holographic space, the 2D virtual space, or 3Dvirtual space depicting the user corporeally different than the userappears in ordinary space.

5. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-4, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered via a virtualinterface as representing at least one of the intention of muscleactivation of the user or a motion of the user.

6. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of aspect 5, wherein thevirtual interface is configured to be accessed or controlled by one ormore additional authorized persons, wherein the virtual interface isconfigured to provide the additional authorized persons with one or moreof: (a) display of the biometric signal data of the user or profilerecords, or; (b) input to provide the user with cues, notifications,questionnaires, or messages through the virtual interface.

7. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-6, wherein the virtual avatar comprises an avatar depictedwith one or more graphical features selected by the user, wherein theone or more graphical features are rendered as part of the virtualavatar in the holographic space, 2D virtual space, or 3D virtual space.

8. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-7, wherein the virtual avatar is configured for display on avirtual interface, and wherein the virtual avatar is rendered on thevirtual interface as part of a picture, a motion picture, a video, avideo game, or one or more image frames.

9. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-8, wherein the biometric detection device comprises at leastone of: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

10. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-9, wherein creating the virtual avatar comprises categorizingor classifying one or more types of user intended motions correspondingto the biometric signal data of the user.

11. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-10, wherein the virtual avatar is configured for rendering orcontrolling in the virtual 2D space or the virtual 3D space.

12. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-11, wherein the holographic space, virtual 2D space, or thevirtual 3D space is provided by a third-party platform, and wherein thevirtual avatar is configured for rendering or controlling in theholographic space, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space of thethird-party platform.

13. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-12, wherein the modulation of the virtual avatar furthercomprises at least one of: (a) changing a color of the virtual avatar;(b) changing one or more dimensions of or distorting the virtual avatar;(c) translating the virtual avatar; (d) rotating the virtual avatar; (e)reflecting the virtual avatar about a predetermined axis; or (f)performing dilation on the virtual avatar.

14. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-13, wherein the user-specific specifications include at leastone of: visual characteristics of the virtual avatar, or auditorycharacteristics of the virtual avatar, and wherein the user-specificspecifications are selectable by the user from a predetermined list.

15. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of any one or more ofaspects 1-14, wherein the biometric software component comprisescomputational instructions that when executed by the processor, furthercause the processor to: create a physiological profile of the user basedon the biometric signal data of the user, wherein the physiologicalprofile comprises the user-specific specifications.

16. A biometric enabled virtual reality method for detecting one or moreuser intentions and modulating virtual avatar control based on the oneor more user intentions for creation of one or more virtual avatars orobjects in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D) virtual space, orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, the biometric enabled virtualreality method comprising: determining, based on analysis of a biometricsignal data of a user, a virtual representation of an intended motion ofthe user corresponding to an intention of muscle activation of the user,the biometric signal data collected by a biometric detection device;modulating, based on the virtual representation of the intended motionand by a biometric software component comprising computationalinstructions configured for execution by a processor, virtual avatarcontrol or output; and creating, based on the virtual avatar control oroutput, at least one of a virtual avatar representing one or moreaspects of the user or an object manipulated by the user in aholographic space, a virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space, whereinthe avatar or the object is created in holographic space, the virtual 2Dspace, or the virtual 3D space based on at least one of: (1) thebiometric signal data of a user, or (2) user-specific specifications asprovided by the user.

17. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 16, whereinthe intention of muscle activation of the user comprises one or more of:(a) a concentric muscle contraction, (b) an isometric musclecontraction, (c) an eccentric muscle contraction, or (d) an activationof neurons in a specific location on the user's body, the activationinvoked by the user, intending to activate a muscle, regardless ofwhether or not muscle activation occurs.

18. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 17, whereinthe neurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motor neurons, (b)neurons innervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons, (d) sensoryneurons, or (e) nociceptors.

19. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-18, wherein the virtual avatar comprises at least one of: (a)an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or (b) anavatar rendered in the holographic space, the 2D virtual space, or 3Dvirtual space depicting the user corporeally different than the userappears in ordinary space.

20. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-19, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered via a virtualinterface as representing at least one of the intention of muscleactivation of the user or a motion of the user.

21. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of aspect 20, whereinthe virtual interface is configured to be accessed or controlled by oneor more additional authorized persons, wherein the virtual interface isconfigured to provide the additional authorized persons with one or moreof: (a) display of the biometric signal data of the user or profilerecords, or; (b) input to provide the user with cues, notifications,questionnaires, or messages through the virtual interface.

22. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-21, wherein the virtual avatar comprises an avatar depictedwith one or more graphical features selected by the user, wherein theone or more graphical features are rendered as part of the virtualavatar in the holographic space, 2D virtual space, or 3D virtual space.

23. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-22, wherein the virtual avatar is configured for display on avirtual interface, and wherein the virtual avatar is rendered on thevirtual interface as part of a picture, a motion picture, a video, avideo game, or one or more image frames.

24. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-23, wherein the biometric detection device comprises at leastone of: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.

25. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-24, wherein creating the virtual avatar comprisescategorizing or classifying one or more types of user intended motionscorresponding to the biometric signal data of the user.

26. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-25, wherein the virtual avatar is configured for rendering orcontrolling in the virtual 2D space or the virtual 3D space.

27. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-26, wherein the holographic space, virtual 2D space, or thevirtual 3D space is provided by a third-party platform, and wherein thevirtual avatar is configured for rendering or controlling in theholographic space virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space of thethird-party platform.

28. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-27, wherein the modulation of the virtual avatar furthercomprises at least one of: (a) changing a color of the virtual avatar;(b) changing one or more dimensions of or distorting the virtual avatar;(c) translating the virtual avatar; (d) rotating the virtual avatar; (e)reflecting the virtual avatar about a predetermined axis; or (f)performing dilation on the virtual avatar.

29. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-28, wherein the user-specific specifications include at leastone of: visual characteristics of the virtual avatar, or auditorycharacteristics of the virtual avatar, and wherein the user-specificspecifications are selectable by the user from a predetermined list.

30. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of any one or more ofaspects 16-29 further comprising creating a physiological profile of theuser based on the biometric signal data of the user, wherein thephysiological profile comprises the user-specific specifications.

31. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storinginstructions for detecting one or more user intentions and modulatingvirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forcreation of one or more virtual avatars or objects in holographic space,two-dimensional (2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, that whenexecuted by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:determine, based on analysis of a biometric signal data of a user, avirtual representation of an intended motion of the user correspondingto an intention of muscle activation of the user, the biometric signaldata collected by a biometric detection device; modulate, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions configured forexecution by a processor, virtual avatar control or output; and create,based on the virtual avatar control or output, at least one of a virtualavatar representing one or more aspects of the user or an objectmanipulated by the user in a holographic space, a virtual 2D space, or avirtual 3D space, wherein the avatar or the object is created in theholographic space, the virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space basedon at least one of: (1) the biometric signal data of a user, or (2)user-specific specifications as provided by the user.

Additional Disclosure

Similarly, the methods or routines described herein may be at leastpartially processor-implemented. For example, at least some of theoperations of a method may be performed by one or more processors orprocessor-implemented hardware modules. The performance of certain ofthe operations may be distributed among the one or more processors, notonly residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number ofmachines. In some example embodiments, the processor or processors maybe located in a single location, while in other embodiments theprocessors may be distributed across a number of locations.

The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed amongthe one or more processors, not only residing within a single machine,but deployed across a number of machines. In some example embodiments,the one or more processors or processor-implemented modules may belocated in a single geographic location (e.g., within a homeenvironment, an office environment, or a server farm). In otherembodiments, the one or more processors or processor-implemented modulesmay be distributed across a number of geographic locations.

This detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and doesnot describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possibleembodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. A person of ordinaryskill in the art may implement numerous alternate embodiments, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this application.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a wide variety ofmodifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect tothe above described embodiments without departing from the scope of theinvention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinationsare to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.

The patent claims at the end of this patent application are not intendedto be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless traditionalmeans-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for”or “step for” language being explicitly recited in the claim(s). Thesystems and methods described herein are directed to an improvement tocomputer functionality, and improve the functioning of conventionalcomputers.

What is claimed is:
 1. A biometric enabled virtual reality systemconfigured to detect one or more user intentions and to manipulatevirtual avatar control based on the one or more user intentions forproviding kinematic awareness in holographic space, two-dimensional(2D), or three-dimensional (3D) virtual space, the biometric enabledvirtual reality system comprising: a biometric detection deviceconfigured to collect biometric signal data of a user, a processorcommunicatively coupled to the biometric detection device, and; abiometric software component comprising computational instructionsconfigured for execution by the processor, the computationalinstructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the processorto: determine, based on analysis of the biometric signal data of theuser representing at least muscle activity of the user, a virtualrepresentation of an intended motion of the user corresponding to anintention of muscle activation of the user, and modulate, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion, virtual avatar control oroutput comprising: manipulating a virtual avatar representing one ormore aspects of at least one of the user or an object manipulated by theuser in a holographic space, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3D space,wherein the virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interface configuredto provide the user a kinematic awareness in the holographic space, thevirtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.
 2. The biometric enabledvirtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the intention of muscleactivation of the user comprises one or more of: (a) a concentric musclecontraction, (b) an isometric muscle contraction, (c) an eccentricmuscle contraction, or (d) an activation of neurons in a specificlocation on the user's body, the activation invoked by the user,intending to activate a muscle, regardless of whether or not muscleactivation occurs.
 3. The biometric enabled virtual reality system ofclaim 2, wherein the neurons may comprise of at least one of; (a) motorneurons, (b) neurons innervating one or more muscles; (c) interneurons,(d) sensory neurons, or (e) nociceptors.
 4. The biometric enabledvirtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtual interface promptsthe user to perform a gesture intention that corresponds to theintention of muscle activation.
 5. The biometric enabled virtual realitysystem of claim 1, wherein the virtual avatar comprises at least one of:(a) an avatar portion of a muscle group or an anatomy of the user, or(b) an avatar portion of an amputated portion of the user's bodyrendered as a virtual body part of the user as non-amputated.
 6. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtualavatar is rendered via the virtual interface as representing at leastone of the intention of muscle activation of the user or a motion of theuser.
 7. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1,wherein the virtual avatar representing one or more aspects of at leastone of the user or the object manipulated by the user correspond to atleast one of: the biometric signal data of the user, or; (b) a datastream representation of the biometric signal data of the user.
 8. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtualavatar is rendered on the virtual interface as part of a picture, amotion picture, a video, a video game, or one or more image frames. 9.The biometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein thebiometric detection device comprises at least one of: (a) one or moreelectromyographic electrodes, (b) one or more inertial measurementunits, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one or more barometers; (e)one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or more infrared sensors, (g)one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or more electroencephalogramelectrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogram sensors, or (j) one or morescleral search coils.
 10. The biometric enabled virtual reality systemof claim 1, wherein manipulating the virtual avatar comprisescategorizing or classifying one or more types of user intended motionscorresponding to the biometric signal data of the user.
 11. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the virtualavatar control or output is configured to provide as at least one of:attenuation of a pain condition or as a kinematic awarenessrehabilitative cue for muscular neurological control of the user. 12.The biometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 11, wherein thepain condition of the user is treated through virtual administration ofa kinematic awareness cue.
 13. The biometric enabled virtual realitysystem of claim 1, wherein the manipulating and rendering of the virtualavatar on the virtual interface causes the user to experience adecreased perception of phantom pain.
 14. The biometric enabled virtualreality system of claim 1, wherein a kinematic awareness rehabilitativecue for muscular neurological control of the user comprises a temporallyrepresentative visual cue, provided in the holographic space, thevirtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space, that corresponds to a virtualposition of an amputated or non-present limb of the user in reference tothe user based on the biometric data of the user.
 15. The biometricenabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein the biometricsoftware component further comprises computational instructions, thatwhen executed by the processor, cause the processor to: determine aquantity value of pain of the user, the quantity value calculatedthrough at least one of: (a) analysis of the biometric signal dataindicating the pain of the user, or, (b) input, via the virtualinterface, of user-specific responses or pain-related information asprovided by the user.
 16. The biometric enabled virtual reality systemof claim 1, wherein the virtual interface is configured to be accessedor controlled by one or more additional authorized persons, wherein thevirtual interface is configured to provide the additional authorizedpersons with one or more of: (a) display of the biometric signal data ofthe user or profile records, or; (b) input to provide the user withcues, notifications, questionnaires, or messages through the virtualinterface.
 17. The biometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1,wherein the virtual representation of the intended motion of the usercorresponding to the intention of the muscle activation of the userrepresents an intention to activate one or more muscles.
 18. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 17, wherein the useris paralyzed or has reduced neurological control over an extremity. 19.The biometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 17, wherein theuser is unable to perform the intended motion in ordinary space.
 20. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein thebiometric software component comprises computational instructions thatwhen executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:determine a pain threshold of the user; and render, on the virtualinterface, a prompt instructing the user position or move a body portionof the user to attenuate the pain threshold or optimize a treatment ofthe body portion or corresponding body portion of the user.
 21. Thebiometric enabled virtual reality system of claim 1, wherein thebiometric software component comprises computational instructions thatwhen executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: create aphysiological profile of the user based on the biometric signal data ofthe user.
 22. A biometric enabled virtual reality method for detectingone or more user intentions and manipulating virtual avatar controlbased on the one or more user intentions for providing kinematicawareness in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D) space, orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, the biometric enabled virtualreality method comprising: determining, based on analysis of a biometricsignal data of a user representing at least muscle activity of the user,a virtual representation of an intended motion of the user correspondingto an intention of muscle activation of the user, the biometric signaldata collected by a biometric detection device; modulating, based on thevirtual representation of the intended motion and by a biometricsoftware component comprising computational instructions executed by aprocessor, virtual avatar control or output; and manipulating, based onthe virtual avatar control or output, a virtual avatar representing oneor more aspects of at least one of the user or an object manipulated bythe user in a holographic space, virtual 2D space, or a virtual 3Dspace, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered by a virtual interfaceconfigured to provide the user a kinematic awareness in the holographicspace, the virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.
 23. The biometricenabled virtual reality method of claim 22, wherein the intention ofmuscle activation of the user comprises one or more of: (a) a concentricmuscle contraction, (b) an isometric muscle contraction, (c) aneccentric muscle contraction, or (d) an activation of neurons in aspecific location on the user's body, the activation invoked by theuser, intending to activate a muscle, regardless of whether or notmuscle activation occurs.
 24. The biometric enabled virtual realitymethod of claim 23, wherein the neurons may comprise of at least one of;(a) motor neurons, (b) neurons innervating one or more muscles; (c)interneurons, (d) sensory neurons, or (e) nociceptors.
 25. The biometricenabled virtual reality method of claim 22, wherein the virtualinterface prompts the user to perform a gesture intention thatcorresponds to the intention of muscle activation.
 26. The biometricenabled virtual reality method of claim 22, wherein the virtual avatarcomprises at least one of: (a) an avatar portion of a muscle group or ananatomy of the user, or (b) an avatar portion of an amputated portion ofthe user's body rendered as a virtual body part of the user asnon-amputated.
 27. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim22, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered via the virtual interface asrepresenting at least one of the intention of muscle activation of theuser or a motion of the user.
 28. The biometric enabled virtual realitymethod of claim 22, wherein the virtual avatar representing one or moreaspects of at least one of the user or the object manipulated by theuser correspond to at least one of: the biometric signal data of theuser, or; (b) a data stream representation of the biometric signal dataof the user.
 29. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim22, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered on the virtual interface aspart of a picture, a motion picture, a video, a video game, or one ormore image frames.
 30. The biometric enabled virtual reality method ofclaim 22, wherein the biometric detection device comprises at least oneof: (a) one or more electromyographic electrodes, (b) one or moreinertial measurement units, (c) one or more accelerometers, (d) one ormore barometers; (e) one or more ultrasonic sensors, (f) one or moreinfrared sensors, (g) one or more pressure sensors, (h) one or moreelectroencephalogram electrodes, (i) one or more electrooculogramsensors, or (j) one or more scleral search coils.
 31. The biometricenabled virtual reality method of claim 22, wherein manipulating thevirtual avatar comprises categorizing or classifying one or more typesof user intended motions corresponding to the biometric signal data ofthe user.
 32. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim 22,wherein the virtual avatar control or output is configured to provide asat least one of: attenuation of a pain condition or as a kinematicawareness rehabilitative cue for muscular neurological control of theuser.
 33. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim 32,wherein the pain condition of the user is treated through virtualadministration of a kinematic awareness cue.
 34. The biometric enabledvirtual reality method of claim 22, wherein the manipulating andrendering of the virtual avatar on the virtual interface causes the userto experience a decreased perception of phantom pain.
 35. The biometricenabled virtual reality method of claim 22, wherein a kinematicawareness rehabilitative cue for muscular neurological control of theuser comprises a temporally representative visual cue, in theholographic space, the virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space, thatcorresponds to a virtual position of an amputated or non-present limb ofthe user in reference to the user based on the biometric data of theuser.
 36. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim 22further comprising determining a quantity value of pain of the user, thequantity value calculated through at least one of: (a) analysis of thebiometric signal data indicating the pain of the user, or, (b) input,via the virtual interface, of user-specific responses or pain-relatedinformation as provided by the user.
 37. The biometric enabled virtualreality method of claim 22, wherein the virtual interface is configuredto be accessed or controlled by one or more additional authorizedpersons, wherein the virtual interface is configured to provide theadditional authorized persons with one or more of: (a) display of thebiometric signal data of the user or profile records, or; (b) input toprovide the user with cues, notifications, questionnaires, or messagesthrough the virtual interface.
 38. The biometric enabled virtual realitymethod of claim 22, wherein the virtual representation of the intendedmotion of the user corresponding to the intention of the muscleactivation of the user represents an intention to activate one or moremuscles.
 39. The biometric enabled virtual reality method of claim 38,wherein the user is paralyzed or has reduced neurological control overan injured extremity.
 40. The biometric enabled virtual reality methodof claim 38, wherein the user is unable to perform the intended motionin ordinary space.
 41. The biometric enabled virtual reality method ofclaim 22 further comprising determining a pain threshold of the user;and render, on the virtual interface, a prompt instructing the userposition or move a body portion of the user to attenuate the painthreshold or optimize a treatment of the body portion or correspondingbody portion of the user.
 42. The biometric enabled virtual realitymethod of claim 22 further comprising creating a physiological profileof the user based on the biometric signal data of the user.
 43. Atangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructionsfor or detecting one or more user intentions and manipulating virtualavatar control based on the one or more user intentions for providingkinematic awareness in holographic space, two-dimensional (2D) space, orthree-dimensional (3D) virtual space, that when executed by one or moreprocessors cause the one or more processors to: determine, based onanalysis of a biometric signal data of a user representing at leastmuscle activity of the user, a virtual representation of an intendedmotion of the user corresponding to an intention of muscle activation ofthe user, the biometric signal data collected by a biometric detectiondevice; modulate, based on the virtual representation of the intendedmotion and by a biometric software component comprising computationalinstructions executed by a processor, virtual avatar control or output;and manipulate, based on the virtual avatar control or output, a virtualavatar representing one or more aspects of at least one of the user oran object manipulated by the user in a holographic space, a virtual 2Dspace, or a virtual 3D space, wherein the virtual avatar is rendered bya virtual interface configured to provide the user a kinematic awarenessin the holographic space, virtual 2D space, or the virtual 3D space.